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'B-2 Bomber': The most powerful and costliest aircraft the US military is using against Iran in the war

Costing $2 billion each, the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is the most expensive and powerful US aircraft in Operation Epic Fury. Featuring advanced radar evasion, it is the only plane capable of dropping 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iran's deeply buried missile and nuclear facilities.

$2 billion
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(Photograph: Wikimedia Commons)

$2 billion

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is the most expensive aircraft in the US arsenal, costing approximately $2 billion per unit. Its astronomical price reflects decades of highly classified aerospace research and cutting-edge radar-evading technology.

A unique flying-wing design
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman)

A unique flying-wing design

The aircraft features a distinct flying-wing design constructed from specialised composite materials. This shape drastically reduces its radar signature, allowing it to penetrate heavily defended Iranian airspace completely undetected.

Delivering the Massive Ordnance Penetrator
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman)

Delivering the Massive Ordnance Penetrator

The B-2's immense power lies in its payload, as it is the only operational aircraft certified to carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb is engineered to smash through solid rock and reinforced concrete.

Striking deeply buried targets
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman)

Striking deeply buried targets

During Operation Epic Fury, the White House confirmed that B-2 bombers are actively dropping 2,000-pound and 30,000-pound bombs on underground missile facilities. The aircraft targets deeply buried command centres and production sites that standard fighter jets simply cannot reach.

Dismantling the nuclear programme
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman)

Dismantling the nuclear programme

Beyond conventional missile sites, the B-2 is America's primary tool for neutralising Iran's nuclear ambitions. These bombers previously targeted heavily fortified subterranean nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan to destroy deeply buried infrastructure.

Intercontinental strike range
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman)

Intercontinental strike range

Operating from bases like RAF Fairford in the UK or Diego Garcia, the B-2 can fly intercontinental combat missions without landing. Supported by mid-air refuelling, it projects unmatched global strike power directly into the Middle East.

Unrivalled conventional payload
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(Photograph: Northrop Grumman, Wikimedia Commons)

Unrivalled conventional payload

Even without the 30,000-pound bunker buster, the aircraft is heavily armed for conventional warfare. It can carry up to eighty 500-pound GPS-guided bombs, allowing a single bomber to simultaneously destroy multiple Iranian military installations.