As the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies, one piece of military technology keeps returning to the spotlight: the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
Nicknamed the “bat-wing” bomber for its flying-wing design, the B-2 is considered the most potent platform in the US Air Force’s arsenal. Each aircraft costs more than $1 billion, and, as of 2026, only 19 exist in the fleet. That scarcity alone makes every deployment a strategic statement.
The B-2 is designed for one core purpose: penetrate heavily defended airspace and deliver precision strikes. Its stealth profile minimizes radar detection by blending shape, materials and heat signature management. Unlike traditional bombers, it has no tail or vertical stabilizers, reducing radar cross-section and giving it its distinctive silhouette.
Last June, seven of the 19 B-2s carried out a 34-hour round-trip mission targeting Iranian nuclear facilities before a ceasefire was reached.
During that mission, the aircraft deployed the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound bunker-busting bomb designed to destroy deeply buried and hardened targets. The bomb is the largest conventional weapon in the US arsenal and is specifically engineered to penetrate reinforced concrete and underground facilities before detonating.
In the latest round of hostilities, US Central Command said the B-2s used 2,000-pound precision-guided bombs to strike Iranian ballistic missile installations. While smaller than the massive ordnance penetrator, these bombs are still capable of crippling launch facilities and storage sites when paired with the bomber’s advanced targeting systems.
The B-2’s endurance is another advantage. It can fly intercontinental missions with mid-air refueling, allowing it to strike from the continental United States and return without landing in the region.