B-2 Spirit
The only aircraft cleared to drop the GBU-57, flown by two pilots on missions longer than a day.
Long-range stealth bomber and the only aircraft cleared to drop the GBU-57.
STRENGTHS
- Proven global strikes from the United States and back
- The only aircraft cleared to drop the 30,000 lb MOP
- Two pilots who take turns resting on long flights
WEAKNESSES
- Fleet of about 20 aircraft
- Very high maintenance and operating cost
- Human fatigue limits the longest missions
The B-2 is the only aircraft cleared to drop the 30,000 lb GBU-57 bunker buster. In June 2025, B-2s flew from Whiteman Air Force Base against Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer, flying non-stop for about 36 hours, and they flew again in Operation Epic Fury in 2026.
The record still belongs to a 44.3-hour combat mission flown during Operation Enduring Freedom. Each B-2 carries only two pilots, and crews describe a folding cot and a small chemical toilet on board, which is why human endurance, not fuel, sets the real limit on a global stealth strike.
