How did US strike three 3 key Iranian nuclear sites? Top 10 facts about US's stealth B-2 Spirit bombers
A U.S. Air Force 509th Bomb Wing B-2 Spirit approaches a 351st Aerial Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker during the Bomber Task Force training exercise over England, Aug. 29, 2019. The B-2 aircraft will operate out of RAF Fairford, England, and will exercise there at U.S. Air Forces in Europe's forward operating location for bombers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Castelan)
US bombers struck nuclear sites in Fordo, Iran’s fortified underground enrichment centre; the nuclear facility in Natanz, which was previously struck by Israel and a third site near Isfahan, where Iran is believed to store near-weapons-grade uranium. US President Trump said a full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordo.
A senior US official on conditions of anonymity told Reuters that US Air Force's stealth B-2 Spirit bombers were used to hit the three nuclear sites. US had moved the stealth bombers from its base in Whiteman, Missouri to Guam on Saturday amid escalating tensions.
Israel had been urging Trump to get involved militarily in the war, primarily to strike Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, with bunker-busting American bomb known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. Trump earlier said he is giving "two weeks" to Iran to stop the war.
The bunker-busting bomb can only be delivered by B-2 stealth bombers and if it has been deployed in the strike on the Fordo nuclear plant, it is believed to be the first combat use of the weapon. As per reports, six bunker-buster bombs, which can be delivered only using B-2 Spirit were deployed to attack Fordo.
B-2 Spirit bombers
The B-2 is one of America's most advanced strategic multi-role bomber, capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. Costing $2.1 billion each, B-2 Spirit is the most expensive military aircraft ever built.
With a wingspan of 172 feet, the B-2 Spirit can carry 40,000 pounds of payload of conventional or nuclear weapons.
According to the US Air Force, Whiteman AFB, Missouri, is the only operational base for the B-2 bomber. With an intercontinental range, the aircraft can fly upto 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometres) without refuelling.
Its low-observable, giving B-2 the unique ability to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defences and threaten its most valued, and heavily defended, targets, USAF says.
The B-2 Spirit's reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures help it to penetrate through enemy air defence systems. "These signatures make it difficult for the sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track and engage the B-2," it said.
The B-2 has a two-pilot crew - a pilot in the left seat and a mission commander in the right.
The B-2 bomber was deployed in the Kosovo war as part of Operation Allied Force and flew non-stop from its base in Missouri and back. B-2 was responsible for destroying 33 per cent of all Serbian targets in the first eight weeks of the war.
It was also deployed in the US's war against Afghanistan. The aircraft received full operational capability status in December 2003.
The B-2 completed its first-ever combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The stealth bomber released over 1.5 million pounds of munitions as part US operation against Iraq.
According to the US Air Force, it currently has 20 B-2 Spirit bombers.
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