B-2 pilots train to eat and sleep for 37-hour missions

Before embarking on flights lasting dozens of hours, B-2 pilots undergo weeks of preparation, learning how to eat and rest effectively.

Pilots of seven US B-2 Spirit bombers recently flew a 37-hour mission to strike a suspected Iranian nuclear facility on 22/6. This marked one of the longest flights in US Air Force history.

To endure such lengthy missions, B-2 pilots require exceptional stamina and resilience. Weeks of preparation precede takeoff, encompassing flight planning, nutrition, and sleep strategies.

Initially, they learn how nutrition impacts alertness and digestion.

"We underwent sleep studies and nutrition courses to understand what keeps us alert and helps us sleep on the plane," Lieutenant General Steve Basham, a former B-2 pilot with 9 years of experience who retired in 2024 as deputy commander of US European Command, said in a 24/6 interview.

Pilots are trained to identify easily digestible foods, crucial knowledge given the B-2's single restroom for two pilots. Basham favored plain whole-wheat turkey sandwiches, explaining, "The blander, the better".

A B-2 Spirit bomber takes off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in 2018. Photo: *Reuters*

Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, home to the B-2 fleet, houses doctors and researchers studying the effects of prolonged flights on the human body.

They teach new pilots techniques for long missions and update veteran crews on fatigue management. "You can adjust your body clock through sufficient sleep, altered sleep schedules, and dietary changes," a Whiteman doctor explained in 2019.

For exceptionally long missions, doctors may prescribe medication to maintain crew alertness.

The B-2's advanced stealth design minimizes infrared, radar, and acoustic signatures, but mission success relies on the two-person crew. This smaller crew compared to older bombers like the B-1B and B-52 means increased responsibility for each pilot.

However, the B-2's automated systems ease the workload. "The B-2 flies smoothly and has an effective autopilot," a pilot stated in a 2019 interview.

Aerial refueling demands precise piloting. Despite an 11,000 km range, B-2s often require multiple refuelings.

A B-2 Spirit bomber being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in 2015. Video: *Youtube/AiirSource Military*

The fuel cap's obstructed location prevents pilots from visually guiding the refueling boom. Instead, they rely on the tanker's signal lights and memorized reference points. Fatigue complicates this delicate process.

Basham described nighttime refueling, particularly without moonlight, as "extremely dangerous".

"Adrenaline keeps you alert before entering the combat zone," he explained. "But adrenaline fades. You try to nap, but you still have one last refueling before returning."

Early B-2 software had lag, further complicating refueling, according to Basham. Updates improved responsiveness, but close-formation flying at high altitudes remains challenging.

The B-2 cockpit has a small space behind the seats with a cot for resting. Pilots often snack on sunflower seeds to stay alert.

Short naps are possible during flight, lasting a few hours, depending on the route, refueling points, and combat operations.