Explained: What Is The B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber US Used To Strike Iran & How It Obliterated Fordow

Washington: In a dramatic show of force, the United States deployed its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers on Saturday, June 21, to strike key Iranian nuclear facilities, including the highly fortified Fordow enrichment site.

President Donald Trump, announcing the mission, called Fordow the “crown jewel” of Iran’s nuclear programme, and referred to it as “gone” following what he described as a “very successful attack”.

The use of the B-2, one of the most advanced and secretive aircraft in the US arsenal, was central to the operation, as it offers rare insight into the capabilities of this Cold War-era bomber that is now reshaping modern warfare.

What is the B-2 Spirit?

The B-2 Spirit is no ordinary aircraft. Built by Northrop Grumman during the Cold War, it was designed for deep-penetration bombing missions inside heavily defended enemy territory. Just 21 units were ever produced, each costing a staggering $2.1 billion, according to a report by Reuters.

Its distinct bat-like shape isn’t just for looks, it’s crafted to evade radar, with materials and design features that give it a radar signature said to be as small as a bird. Operated by two pilots and heavily automated, the B-2 is as much about evading detection as it is about delivering devastating payloads.

Flying long distances, reportedly from US territory, the B-2s struck Fordow using the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb. According to reports, six of these bombs were reportedly dropped on the underground site, which lies beneath a mountain and is shielded by multiple air defence systems. The B-2 is the only aircraft in the US fleet capable of carrying the MOP, making it indispensable for this mission.

What makes B-2 so lethal?

Part of what makes the B-2 so lethal is its global reach. With a range of over 6,000 nautical miles (roughly 11,000 km) without refuelling, it can hit targets almost anywhere in the world and return safely. The aircraft has previously flown missions from Missouri to Afghanistan, Libya, and now Iran.

Its payload capacity tops 40,000 pounds and includes both conventional and nuclear weapons. Besides the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, it can deliver GPS-guided JDAMs, standoff glide bombs (JSOW), and long-range cruise missiles like JASSM and its extended-range variant, JASSM-ER.

The US strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was a textbook example of the B-2’s design purpose, which is to enter undetected, destroy fortified targets, and leave no trace behind.