B-2 Commander on Largest Stealth Bomber Mission & Bunker Buster Bomb Use

Unprecedented Stealth Bomber Operation

• 🚀 Retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, a former B-2 commander, describes the recent US military operation as nothing short of remarkable in scale, scope, and precision.
• 💡 The mission involved the largest B-2 strike sortie ever and the largest package of B-2 bombers deployed.
• 🎯 The B-2s successfully infiltrated Iranian airspace, struck targets at Natanz and Fordo, and exited without detection or a single shot fired.

The Bunker Buster Bomb Deployment

• 💣 For the first time in combat, 14 GBU-57 bunker buster bombs, each weighing 30,000 lbs, were employed and appear to have been highly successful.
• 💥 These massive bombs are designed for striking deeply buried targets.

Complex Strike Package Logistics

• ✈️ The strike package included seven B-2 bombers that launched from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, requiring extensive air refueling from KC-135 tankers to reach Iran, which is over 6,000 miles away.
• 📡 The operation also incorporated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, electronic warfare support from Navy F-18s, and suppression of enemy air defenses by fighter jets.
• ⛽ B-2 bombers took off with minimal fuel due to the heavy bomb load, relying on multiple refuelings to complete the mission.

Strategic Context and Execution

• 🌍 The mission's success was facilitated by the strategic opportunity created by Israel's air campaign over the preceding 10 days.
• 🎖️ Newton emphasizes the complexity and risk involved, highlighting the exquisite planning and execution by the US military, making a difficult operation appear easy.
• 🤝 The air refueling tankers, modified Boeing 707s, are crucial for enabling the US military's global reach and strike capabilities.