B-2 Over Iran: Pilot Comfort Was Part of the Strike Plan
Pilots aboard U.S. stealth bombers B-2 embarked on a grueling journey to strike Iranian nuclear facilities during the “Midnight Hammer” operation.
The round-trip flight from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Iran and back lasted 37 hours—one of the most demanding missions ever undertaken by these aircraft.
To ease the strain of such a long mission, the bombers were equipped with onboard restrooms, microwave ovens, and small refrigerators for light snacks, according to The New York Post.
Officials stated that the advanced B-2 bombers took off last Friday on a global mission that required multiple midair refuelings. The cockpits were modified to allow the two crew members to rest and maintain alertness throughout the flight.
Each B-2 Spirit bomber includes a toilet and enough space for one pilot to sleep while the other flies. These aircraft are essentially flying long-haul cabins with high-tech weaponry.
The B-2 first entered service in 1997 and costs over $2 billion per unit. The U.S. Air Force currently maintains a fleet of 19, after losing one in a 2008 crash.
According to the Telegraph, the seven B-2s involved in the Iran strike flew in near silence, with the two-person crews alternating between flying and resting during the tense overnight operation.
The 37-hour flight that included the Fordow bombing marks the B-2’s longest mission since the opening of the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.
As The Atlantic reported, B-2 pilots undergo specialized training to endure such long and taxing missions.
General Daniel Keene, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that “the B-2s met with escort and support aircraft in a tightly timed and highly coordinated maneuver across a narrow airspace—executed with minimal communication.”
The 25-minute strike inside Iran began at 6:40 p.m. Eastern Time. A primary B-2 bomber dropped two GBU-57 bunker-busting bombs on Fordow, followed by the remaining six bombers targeting two additional nuclear sites with a total of 14 more bombs—each weighing 15 tons.
This mission marked the first combat use of the massive GBU-57 bomb, specifically designed to penetrate heavily fortified underground bunkers.
