At a Pentagon press conference on 22/6, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and flew 18 hours non-stop across the Atlantic to bomb two key nuclear facilities in Iran.
The aircraft then safely left Iranian airspace, returning to base along the same route, completing Operation Night Hammer. They were refueled in the air several times to avoid landing anywhere other than US territory.
US media reported the B-2 bomber crews flew a total of 37 hours without rest. This was the B-2's longest mission since the first US airstrike on Afghanistan in response to the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks.
Inside the cockpit of a B-2 bomber in 2019. Video: Defense News
Costing approximately two billion USD each, the B-2 Spirit is a long-range stealth bomber capable of carrying America's heaviest bombs and weapons. The aircraft has a flying wing design, made of composite materials and a coating that reduces its radar cross-section, minimizing its detection by enemy radar.
To optimize stealth capabilities, the bomber has a relatively small cockpit, just large enough for two pilots. According to the New York Post, to help pilots endure long flights, the B-2 cockpit is equipped with amenities such as a mini-refrigerator and microwave oven, allowing them to eat and stay alert during flights lasting dozens of hours.
The aircraft also has a toilet and enough space for one pilot to rest while the other flies. The B-2's highly automated control system reduces the crew's workload.
"The B-2 flies very smoothly and is equipped with very effective autopilot", a pilot said in a 2019 interview.
He said some younger pilots sometimes become distracted and momentarily forget they are flying, but the aircraft continues to operate normally thanks to the autopilot technology.
"The Vertical Situation Display (VSD) provides the pilot with all the necessary information to regain situational awareness and control the aircraft", he said.
The VSD provides standard parameters such as attitude, altitude, speed, heading, and angle of attack. The Horizontal Situation Display (HSD) shows the flight path and helps pilots track nearby friendly and enemy aircraft, in addition to relevant radar information.
Pilots who fly this type of aircraft are trained to withstand long flights. According to the Atlantic, some have even brought camp beds and sleeping pads on board to get some rest.
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A B-2 bomber returns to Whiteman Air Force Base after the Iran airstrike on 22/6. Photo: AP |
A B-2 bomber returns to Whiteman Air Force Base after the Iran airstrike on 22/6. Photo: AP
The B-2 Spirit has a service ceiling of about 15 km and a range of 11,000 km, or over 19,000 km with one aerial refueling. It is also the only aircraft capable of carrying the GBU-57, a nearly 14-ton bunker-buster bomb used to attack the Iranian nuclear facility during Operation Night Hammer.
The US Air Force currently has 19 B-2s, after losing one in a 2008 crash.
Pham Giang (According to the New York Post, Business Insider)
