What is the B-2 Spirit, the US stealth bomber used in strikes on Iran?
In a major military escalation, the United States deployed its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers on Saturday to carry out precision airstrikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure. The mission, announced by President Donald Trump, targeted three sites, including the fortified Fordow enrichment facility, which he described as the 'crown jewel' of Iran's nuclear programme.
'Fordow is gone,' Trump said, calling the operation a 'very successful attack.'
The strikes, involving some of the most advanced aircraft in the US arsenal, offer a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the B-2 Spirit, an aircraft designed to slip past air defences, strike fortified bunkers, and return undetected.
Here is what to know about the B-2 bomber and why it was used in the Iran mission:
The B-2 Spirit is one of the most sophisticated and secretive aircraft ever built. Developed by Northrop Grumman during the Cold War, the bomber was designed for deep-penetration missions in contested airspace. Only 21 were produced after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with each unit costing an estimated $2.1 billion, according to news agency Reuters.
The aircraft's bat-like design and radar-absorbing materials make it nearly invisible to radar, giving it a radar cross-section said to be comparable to that of a small bird. Operated by a two-pilot crew, the B-2 uses extensive automation to reduce human workload and risk.
The B-2's combination of stealth, range, and payload makes it uniquely suited to hit heavily fortified, high-value targets — especially those buried deep underground.
In Saturday's mission, the bombers were reportedly armed with the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) bunker-buster bomb designed specifically to destroy hardened underground facilities like Fordow. Due to the bomb's size and weight, each B-2 can carry only one or two per mission.
Six MOPs were reportedly dropped on Fordow, a facility that is built beneath a mountain and protected by layers of anti-aircraft defences. The use of the B-2, the only aircraft in the US fleet configured to carry the MOP, was considered essential for such an operation.
The B-2 has a range of over 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) without refuelling, enabling it to conduct long-range missions from the continental United States. The aircraft has operated globally, with past missions spanning from Missouri to Afghanistan, Libya, and now, Iran.
Its total payload exceeds 40,000 pounds (18,144 kg) and includes both conventional and nuclear weapons. It can deliver up to 16 B83 nuclear bombs as part of the US nuclear triad.
In addition to the MOP, the B-2 can carry a range of conventional weapons. These include:
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