'With smartphones and flight tracking...': Former B-2 pilot on challenges of Operation Midnight Hammer
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Speaking to ABC News, Spalding said the mission took decades of preparation, including extensive work on the weapons system and planning.
Maintaining secrecy is a major challenge for this operation, Spalding said, especially in today's connected world with smartphones and flight tracking. "With smartphones and flight tracking nowadays, we have to account for all kinds of data that could tip off the enemy," Spalding said.
No radar can detect B-2 bombers and its unique design contributes to the stealth feature as it does not have any tail and any conventional fuselage. "The B-2 has two bomb bays that can carry very large weapons, and these bunker-buster bombs were specifically made to fit them," Spalding said.
Mid-air refuelings, strict schedule for pilots
The B-2 bombers were in the air for over 30 hours, requiring six to seven midair refuelings, each taking about 30 minutes. Spalding explained that there is a strict schedule of sleep and diet before and during the flight to keep pilots alert during critical moments.
With a 172-foot (52.4 m) wingspan and stealth profile, B-2 bombers can fly 6,000 nautical miles without refueling, but most missions like the Midnight Hammer require multiple mid-air refuelings.
During Operation Allied Force in 1999, B-2s flew 31-hour round trips from Missouri to Kosovo, striking 33 per cent of targets in the first eight weeks, according to the Air Force, Reuters reported. In Iraq, the aircraft dropped more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions across 49 sorties. The Air Force plans to replace the B-2 and B-1 fleets with at least 100 B-21 Raiders over the coming decades. The B-2 costs about $65,000 per hour to operate, compared to $60,000 for the B-1, Pentagon data revealed.
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Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Remains of 16 more victims retrieved from Air India crash site in Ahmedabad
Authorities have recovered the mortal remains of 16 more victims from the Air India flight 171's crash site in Ahmedabad, nearly three weeks after the tragic mishap on June 12. These remains are part of the confirmed death toll of 260 passengers and crew members who lost their lives in one of India's worst aviation accidents. A police officer stands in front of the wreckage of the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick Air India aircraft that crashed shortly after take-off on June 12. (REUTERS) The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed approximately 30 seconds after takeoff from Gujarat's Ahmedabad airport, ploughing into a hostel block of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar neighbourhood. The London-bound aircraft had 242 passengers and crew members. Only one man, seated near the emergency exit on 11A, survived the crash. 'Of the 16 mortal remains, families of six victims have accepted the bodies for final rites, while nine families have requested hospital authorities to conduct the final ceremonies on their behalf. We are still attempting to contact one family regarding the handover process,' an official at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital said. The recovery process has been ongoing for over three weeks, with rescue teams working through the debris field that spans both the crash site and the damaged medical college building. 'The identification of the body parts recently recovered, mainly bones, is being done at the Ahmedabad FSL and it takes about 48-72 hours for successful DNA matching. The identification process has been painstaking but thorough,' said a second official aware of the development. The crash, which occurred around 1:40pm on June 12, is described as one of India's worst aviation disasters. The aircraft began losing altitude shortly after takeoff and the flight crew issued a Mayday call before the aircraft crashed into the medical college hostel. Among the victims on the ground were junior doctors, staff at the hospital complex and people on the street below. One passenger walked out of the crash site after he was flung from the burning wreckage. The impact of the crash and the inferno that followed meant that remains of most of the victims, except for the 19 casualties on the ground, were charred beyond recognition, requiring officials to seek DNA samples from family members to help make the identification. The sole survivor, Viswashkumar Ramesh, has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home. HT was the first to report about the lone survivor from the crash after interviewing him at the hospital. 'He is still recovering from his injuries, especially the one on his leg. Also, he is under a lot of mental trauma from the incident, especially the loss of his younger brother who was seated in another bay of the aircraft,' a relative of the survivor in Diu said. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues to investigate the crash with assistance from the UK, the US, and Boeing officials. Both black boxes have been recovered from the crash site, and preliminary investigations are focusing on potential engine and flap issues. The crash also claimed the lives of at least four medical students who were in the hostel's dining area when the aircraft struck the building. Nearly 70 people in the building were injured in the impact. Of the 19 non-passengers who died in the crash, four of them succumbed to their injuries during treatment at the hospital. The last passenger to be identified was Anil Khimani, 32, a native of Bhuj in Kutch, whose remains were found at the crash site on June 25. His DNA matching was completed on June 27 night at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar. The remains were handed over to his family on June 28.
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Indian Express
Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on significance of the Ambubachi festival and jet streams (Week 109)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-1 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Discuss the role of Ambubachi festival in shaping religious tourism and local economies in North-East India. Discuss the formation, characteristics, and seasonal variability of jet streams. How does modern aviation strategically utilises these atmospheric currents, citing their benefits and potential hazards? Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: Discuss the role of Ambubachi festival in shaping religious tourism and local economies in North-East India. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — The event takes place during the monsoon season, usually in June, at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, which is a shrine to the Goddess Kamakhya and one of the most prominent Tantrik Shakti centres. — The event is associated with fertility, the beginning of the monsoon season, and the common historical connotation of a fertile woman among nations on Earth. The name 'Ambubachi' literally means 'water flowing.' Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — During Ambubachi, devotees at this spot are said to have access to the creative and nurturing power of mother Earth's'menses' during monsoon rain. During this time, all agricultural activities, including ploughing and sowing, are suspended. — The Kamakhya Temple has a long and complicated history, reaching back at least to the early years of the Common Era, but its beginnings are thought to be far older. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, most notably in the 16th century by Koch monarch Naranarayana, giving the current edifice a mix of ancient and mediaeval architecture. — 'Ambubachi' means 'spoken with water,' and it signifies that the rains expected this month would make the ground fruitful and suitable for conception. Daily worship is halted at this time. All agricultural activities, including digging, ploughing, sowing, and transplanting crops, are outlawed. — The concept of Ambubachi thus has formative effects, as well as components of agricultural, social, and religious beliefs that have led to the phenomenon's emergence. It is thus symbolic and religiously sanctioned. Conclusion: — The Ambubachi period is thought to correspond to the goddess's annual menstruation, and the shrine is shuttered during this time. At the end of the period, the shrine's doors are ceremonially opened, and devotees flock to see the deity. This year, the shrine remained closed from June 22 to 25, then reopened on June 26. (Source: Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple: Significance of major Assam religious festival, Points to Ponder Read about other important festivals of North-East India Related Previous Year Questions How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. (2021) QUESTION 2: Discuss the formation, characteristics, and seasonal variability of jet streams. How does modern aviation strategically utilises these atmospheric currents, citing their benefits and potential hazards? Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Jet streams are narrow bands of high winds that travel thousands of miles from west to east. Major jet streams are found near the higher regions of the atmosphere, around 9 to 16 kilometres above the earth's surface, and can reach speeds of over 320 kph. — The jet streams move to the north or south depending on the season. During the winter, the wind current is strongest. They are also closer to the equator in the winter. — The three main jet streams are the Polar Front, Subtropical, and Tropical jet streams. In India, the tropical jet stream influences the origin and duration of the summer monsoon. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: Formation of Jet Streams — They are generated because of two key ingredients: rotation and heating. — The earth is unevenly heated due to the disproportionate concentration of solar heating in the tropics and the absence of warmth at the poles. This causes the atmosphere to move, as some particles of air become warmer and more buoyant than others. But the globe also rotates, which limits the resulting fluid flow, notably in the north-south direction. These two elements cause the ensuing flow to spread west-eastward and produce jet streams. Characteristics of Jet Streams — These are narrow bands of strong winds blowing from west to east. — They follow the boundary between hot and cold air. — During the winter months in both the northern and southern hemispheres, jet streams are at their fiercest. Conclusion: How does modern aviation utilise atmospheric currents? — Most commercial flights fly at jet stream altitude, and a strong jet stream can offer a powerful tailwind to a trip heading from west to east, such as the British Airways journey from New York to London. This helps to minimise travel time for such planes by increasing their speeds. — Modern aviation takes advantage of air currents in several important ways: — Jet streams, or high-altitude winds, can considerably cut flight time and fuel consumption when flown with, whereas turbulence, another atmospheric phenomenon, necessitates careful management and mitigation measures. — Airlines intentionally plan routes to use jet streams for eastward trips, decreasing travel time and fuel consumption. They avoid regions of known turbulence to protect passenger comfort and safety. (Source: What is a jet stream, which helped a flight beat speed record?, Points to Ponder Read about polar vortices, and atmospheric rivers What are Rossby waves? Related Previous Year Questions What is the phenomenon of 'Cloudbursts'? Explain. (2024) What is the concept of a 'demographic winter'? Is the world moving towards such a situation? Elaborate. (2024) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 109) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 109) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 107) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
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First Post
a day ago
- First Post
What caused Air India crash that killed 260? Global experts focus on RAT system failure
The investigation is reportedly examining a potential malfunction in the Ram Air Turbine's automatic deployment, identified as a critical system failure read more Firefighters work to put out a fire at the site where an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, on Friday. Reuters Investigation into the June 12 Air India plane crash is focusing on the potential malfunction of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system, among other issues. The investigation team consists of international aviation experts from the UK and the US, including former Boeing captains. The investigation is examining a potential malfunction in the Ram Air Turbine's automatic deployment, identified as a critical system failure. According to sources, the faulty RAT deployment is believed to have caused a loss of engine power, significantly contributing to the crash. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Notably, a RAT is a small wind turbine deployed on aeroplanes as a backup power source during emergencies. It's designed to generate electrical and hydraulic power from the airstream when primary power sources fail. The probe has raised serious questions about aircraft system integrity and crew response, implicating both Air India and Boeing. A London-based legal team is coordinating the investigation, working with US safety consultants and aviation engineers. Preliminary report expected next week A preliminary report on the tragic crash is reportedly expected to be released by July 11 as part of ongoing efforts to improve safety in the civil aviation sector. According to sources cited by NDTV, the preliminary report is expected to be four to five pages long and will provide early findings about the crash. It will include details about the aircraft, the crew, the conditions at Ahmedabad airport, and the weather at the time of the incident. The report will also name the lead investigator, describe the wreckage, summarise the investigation's progress, and outline the next steps to be taken in the coming days. Additionally, authorities are investigating a near-miss incident involving another Air India flight just two days after the crash. On June 14, a flight from Delhi to Vienna suddenly lost altitude, dropping nearly 900 feet. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into this incident, and the close timing of these two events has intensified scrutiny of Air India's flight safety and regulatory oversight. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
