US Bunker Buster & Stealth Bomber That 'Obliterated' Iran's Nuclear Sites: All You Need to Know

President Donald Trump announced on June 21 that the United States had carried out strikes against key Iranian nuclear sites, which he said "totally obliterated" facilities including Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. In an interview with US broadcaster Fox News, Trump stated that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were launched at other nuclear locations.

In a later address to the nation, Trump said Iran's future held "either peace or tragedy" and urged Tehran to "quickly" agree to a peace deal. He later posted on Truth Social, "Any retaliation by Iran against the United States Of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight. thank you! Donald J. Trump, President of the United States"

The attacks, described by the United Nations as a "dangerous escalation", were reportedly carried out using the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber armed with GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs).

Prior to the strikes, the US military had deployed B-2 stealth bombers to Guam, a US territory in the Pacific Ocean. These aircraft are the only ones in the US arsenal capable of delivering the GBU-57, a 30,000-pound (13,608 kg) bunker-busting bomb designed to destroy deeply buried targets such as Iran’s Fordow nuclear site. According to a BBC report, the Fordow facility is believed to be located about 100 metres underground and reinforced with concrete, making it resistant to most conventional weapons.

What Is the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber?

Manufactured by Northrop Grumman, the B-2 is a long-range, radar-evading bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear weapons. It was first unveiled publicly on November 22, 1988, and took its maiden flight on July 17, 1989. The aircraft was subsequently tested by the B-2 Combined Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base.

The first operational B-2, named Spirit of Missouri, was delivered to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on December 17, 1993. Whiteman remains the sole operational base for the B-2 fleet, with maintenance handled by contractor support through the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

The B-2 demonstrated its combat effectiveness during ‘Operation Allied Force’ in Kosovo, where it destroyed 33% of all Serbian targets within the first eight weeks—completing round-trip missions from Missouri without refuelling. It also flew one of its longest missions during ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ in Afghanistan. During ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’, the B-2 completed its first combat deployment, flying 22 sorties from a forward base and 27 from Whiteman, dropping over 1.5 million pounds of munitions.

The aircraft reached full operational capability in December 2003. On February 1, 2009, command responsibility transferred from Air Combat Command to the newly formed Air Force Global Strike Command.

Northrop Grumman is the B-2's prime contractor, overseeing system design and integration. Key contributors include Boeing Military Airplanes, Hughes Radar Systems, General Electric Aircraft Engines, and Vought Aircraft Industries.

The B-2 is a multi-role bomber powered by four General Electric F118-GE-100 engines, each delivering 17,300 pounds of thrust. It has a 172-foot wingspan, is 69 feet long, and stands 17 feet tall. With a maximum takeoff weight of 336,500 pounds, it can carry 167,000 pounds of fuel and up to 40,000 pounds of weapons.

The aircraft cruises at high subsonic speeds, reaches altitudes up to 50,000 feet, and has intercontinental range. Operated by a two-pilot crew, the B-2 cost approximately $1.157 billion per unit in 1998. It achieved initial operational capability in April 1997, and the active fleet today includes 20 aircraft (including one for testing).

All About Boeing's GBU-57

The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a 30,000-pound, GPS-guided, earth-penetrating weapon developed for targeting hardened and deeply buried facilities. Initially created in 2004 by the US Air Force in partnership with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the program is now managed by the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).

Flight testing occurred between 2008 and 2010 before full transition to the Air Force. The B-2 Spirit successfully test-dropped the MOP in 2014, 2015, and 2016, with further validation in 2017 when multiple B-2s conducted four test drops at White Sands Missile Range as part of the Enhanced Threat Response IV upgrade. These trials confirmed operational effectiveness, although specific findings remain classified.

A $20.9 million contract awarded in FY18 funded additional units, with deliveries completed by July 2020. Boeing serves as the prime contractor.

The active variant, GBU-57B, carries a 5,740-pound high-explosive warhead and is guided by GPS. It is 20.5 feet long and 31.5 inches in diameter. Currently integrated with the B-2A, tests have also been conducted on the B-52. The weapon reached initial operational capability in 2011.