Latest news with #AirForceGlobalStrikeCommand
Roya News
4 days ago
- Roya News
VIDEO: B-2 stealth bomber stranded in Hawaii after Iran decoy mission
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed in a deception operation meant to distract observers from a real strike on Iran was forced to make an emergency landing in Hawaii. The incident occurred during a complex mission on June 21, in which several B-2 bombers were seen flying west over the Pacific Ocean, closely trailed by a formation of aerial refueling tankers. While public trackers believed the aircraft were en route to Guam, this western maneuver turned out to be a strategic misdirection, an effort designed to exploit open-source intelligence watchers and obscure the actual strike package heading eastward across the Atlantic. One of the B-2s involved in the feint, operating under the callsign MYTEE 14, diverted to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, which shares space with Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. The aircraft is still on the ground, as shown in a video posted by David Martin (@Sir_DavidMartin), who captured the bomber parked on an apron with a security escort nearby. These unplanned diversions are not new for the B-2 fleet, which remains in service despite being costly, highly complex, and increasingly maintenance-intensive. In a similar case in 2023, another B-2 was stranded in Hawaii for an extended period following an emergency, which later coincided with a months-long grounding of the entire fleet after a crash at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. When asked about the bomber's diversion, Charles Hoffman, Chief of Media Operations for Air Force Global Strike Command, offered no specific details. 'We will not comment on movement, deployment or posturing of forces,' he stated. 'Air Force Global Strike Command maintains the capability to provide global strike anywhere, at the time of the President of the United States' choosing.' Currently, only 19 B-2s remain in active service, making them one of the US military's most limited and high-value platforms. Though infamously expensive and once criticized as a procurement disaster, the stealth bomber has since become a cornerstone of America's long-range strike capabilities. 'Nobody would argue 30 years later it wasn't an absolutely pivotal investment,' military analyst Tyler Rogoway wrote in a June 23 post. To extend the aircraft's viability, the Air Force has been upgrading the B-2 with modernized systems, cockpit enhancements, and efforts to reduce the operational costs of its sensitive radar-absorbent coatings. These upgrades aim to bridge the gap until the next-generation B-21 Raider becomes fully operational. The B-21, which is intended to eventually replace the B-2 fleet, is widely viewed as a critical program for the future of American airpower. Unlike its predecessor, the B-21 is reportedly on schedule and within budget, encouraging signs for a system expected to operate in larger numbers and with greater survivability in contested environments. As for the diverted B-2 in Honolulu, its current status remains unclear. Depending on the nature of the malfunction, repairs could take days, or much longer, due to the logistical challenges of servicing such a specialized aircraft so far from its home base.
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Sky News AU
‘A lot of unknowns': Level of damage to Fordow will take months to assess
Air Force Global Strike Command Deputy Commander Mark Weatherington discusses the success of Operation Midnight Hammer in destroying Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. 'It's going to take days, weeks, months for us to fully understand the damage at Fordow,' Mr Weatherington told Sky News host Sharri Markson. 'There's a lot of unknowns – it appears to me that the weapons performed the way they were supposed to perform.'
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- General
- Sky News AU
‘Extreme challenge for the pilots': What it feels like to fly a B-2 Spirit bomber jet
Air Force Global Strike Command Deputy Commander Mark Weatherington explains what it's like to operate a Northrop B-2 Spirit bomber jet. 'The B-2 is very similar to most of the aircraft that we operate,' Mr Weatherington told Sky News host Sharri Markson. 'Long duration … can be an extreme challenge for the pilots, very fatiguing. 'It's an extreme effort, but they handle it very well, skilfully and professionally.'
The Herald Scotland
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
B-2 stealth bombers took off from the US on mission to strike Iran
Those targets were Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan in Iran, the president revealed in a social media post just before 8 p.m. ET, saying it was a "very successful attack." How to watch President Donald Trump will address the nation at 10 p.m. ET The B-2s, valued at roughly $2 billion a piece, are known not only for their stealth technology, but for their ability to fly long range and carry big "bunker busting" bombs designed to penetrate deeply-buried bunkers and facilities. Whiteman Air Force Base, southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, is home to the entire fleet of 19 B-2 stealth bombers and proclaims it "can project U.S. airpower anywhere around the world from its home station." Its 509th Bomb Wing is part of the Air Force Global Strike Command. What is the B-2 Spirit? The B-2 Spirit is a long-range stealth bomber, equipped to carry the heaviest U.S. bombs and nuclear weapons. Its design and materials limit its ability to be detected by enemy radar. Its flying wing design, composite materials and coating reduce its radar cross section, according to an updated Congressional Research Service report released June 18. All B-2s are nuclear-capable, equipped to carry nuclear gravity bombs, but not cruise missiles, the Research Service stated. It's the only aircraft equipped to carry the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or GBU-57, known as the "bunker buster" bomb. What are the B-2 Spirit's specifications? The B-2 has a total crew of two pilots. A wingspan of 172 feet and a length of 69 feet. Weighs 160,000 pounds. Each can hold two of the GBU-57s. Its design and build cost has been estimated at around $2 billion. More: B-2 bomber returns home to Edwards AFB for upgrades on 35th anniversary of first flight How has the B-2 bomber been used? The bombers had been deployed at least once earlier in the year. Reuters, quoting unnamed U.S. officials, reported in April that as many as six bombers had been deployed to a U.S.-British military based on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. During Operation Allied Force, the B-2 was responsible for destroying 33% of all Serbian targets in the first eight weeks, flying nonstop to Kosovo from Missouri and back, according to the Air Force. During Operation Enduring Freedom, the B-2 flew from Whiteman to Afghanistan and back, the Air Force said. Its first ever combat deployment took place during Operation Iraqi Freedom, when it flew 22 sorties from a forward operating location, as well as 27 sorties from Whiteman. In total, the Air Force reported the bombers released more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions. In the waning days of the Obama administration in 2017, two B-2 bombers were among a fleet that dropped more than 100 bombs southwest of Sirte, Libya in strikes against the Islamic state and al-Qaeda terrorist targets. In October 2024, the U.S. attacked Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with B-2 bombers. At the time, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strike by the bombers "was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified." How does a bunker busting bomb work? Contributing: Reuters, Kim Hjelmgaard, John Bacon, Kathryn Palmer
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Japanese delegation hosted by Air Force Global Strike Command on Barksdale
BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Air Force Global Strike Command on Barksdale hosted a delegation from Japan last week strengthening international security ties. According to Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs, the gathering is called Extended Deterrence Dialogue (EDD) and it happened on June 5-6. The EDD brought together defense and foreign affairs officials from both nations. Global Strike Public Affairs says the U.S. side was represented by officials from the State Department and the Department of Defense, while the Japanese side was comprised of officials from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and the Japanese Embassy in Washington. General Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, assisted in showing the delegation AFGSC training facilities and engaged in bilateral discussion. Global Strike Command Public Affairs says these talks have taken place at key sites within the U.S. nuclear triad since 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
