37 hours to target: Inside the US B-2 bomber's Fordow mission — complete with snacks, a microwave, and a toilet
The pilots of the US Air Force's B-2 stealth bombers, who were strapped into their seats for 37 straight hours for
Operation Midnight Hammer
, weren't just armed with 'bunker buster' bombs, they also had something a bit more comforting: a microwave, a small cooler stocked with snacks, and a toilet, as per a report.
Operation Midnight Hammer: From Missouri to Iran and Back
Seven B-2 bombers lifted off from
Whiteman Air Force Base
outside Kansas City late Friday night, embarking on a journey to strike Iran's
Fordow nuclear enrichment plant
, a target buried deep beneath a mountain, as per the report by New York Post. The bomber flew in radio silence, refuelled several times in midair, and navigated through tightly coordinated skies, escorted by fighter jets and support aircraft as they approached Iranian airspace, according to the report.
Inside the B-2 Cockpit
As per the New York Post, the high-tech bombers have cockpits, which are fitted with mini refrigerators and a microwave oven to keep the two pilot crew fed and alert, there is also enough space for one pilot to lie down and rest while the other flies the jet.
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The Strike
While the B-2 first service started in 1997, with each one costing over $2 billion, the 37 hours spent to attack Fordow was its longest mission since the initial American assault on Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, reported New York Post.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Lt. Gen. Daniel Caine
said, 'The B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications,' quoted New York Post.
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Caine shared that the 25-minute operation inside Iran began at 6:40 p.m. ET Saturday, with a lead B-2 bomber dropping two GBU-57 'bunker buster' munitions on the 'first of several aim points at Fordow,' reported New York Post.
He also mentioned that 'The remaining bombers then hit their targets, as well, with a total of 14 MOPs (Massive Ordnance Penetrators) dropped against two nuclear target areas,' as quoted in the report.
FAQs
How long was the B-2 mission to Iran?
The entire mission lasted 37 hours, one of the longest in B-2 history.
What comforts do B-2 pilots have on long missions?
They have a microwave, a mini fridge with snacks, and a toilet onboard, as per New York Post report.
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