Israel-Iran war: How costly are US’ B-2 stealth bombers that attacked Iran? 1 hr flying cost is pricier than a luxury car!, its price is Rs…
Israel-Iran war; After days of speculations, the United States ultimately joined the Israel-Iran war, using fighter jets and heavy bombers, reportedly the B-2 stealth bombers, to launch attacks on several sites deep inside the Islamic Republic on early Sunday morning. US President Donald Trump revealed that American warplanes targeted and destroyed Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, and then safely left the Iranian airspace.
While Trump did not name the fighter jets used in the assault, a Reuters report revealed that the US used B-2 stealth bombers, one of the world’s most advanced and expensive warplanes, in the attack.
How powerful is the B-2 stealth bomber?
The Northrop B-2 Spirit, commonly known as the B-2 stealth bomber, is a heavy strategic bomber with low-observable stealth technology designed to evade dense anti-aircraft defenses. The B-2 bomber has a special radar-absorbent coating on its body, which absorbs radar signals and prevent them bouncing off the aircraft, significantly reducing detection chances by enemy radars.
This unique technology also increases the B-2’s speed, and its sleek body is designed in manner that drastically reduces the plane’s radar cross-section.
The B-2 stealth bomber is especially designed to carry heavy bombs, including the GBU-57 bunker buster, which it reportedly dropped on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site during Sunday’s attack. The heavy bomber can also carry nuclear bombs.
Where are the B-2 bombers kept?
The US keeps its B-2 stealth bombers at the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, but they are also flown from foreign bases like Guam and Diego Garcia. Previously, the US has used B-2 bombers to launch attacks in Serbia in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001, and Iraq in 2003.
As per media reports, the US currently has a fleet of 19 B-2 bombers in service. One B-2 bomber crashed in 2008, while another was retired in 2022, following an accident.
B-2 stealth bomber price
First unveiled in 1989, the B-2 stealth bomber is the most expensive fighter aircraft in the world, initially costing a whooping $737 million per unit. The B-2 received major upgrades in 1997, taking its per unit cost to roughly $2.1 billion. Currently, the heavy bomber is estimated to cost more than $4 billion, making it the world’s costliest warplane by a gigantic margin.
For comparison, the US-made F-35 5th-generation fighter jet cost around $110-135 million.
The B-2 bomber’s flying costs are equally staggering, with a single hour of flying costing roughly $135,000 (about Rs 1.16 crore), according to various. This is costlier than some high-end luxury BMWs in the Indian market.
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