Latest news with #MilitaryAviation
New York Times
24-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
For B-2 Pilots, a 37-Hour Nonstop Mission to Iran and Back
In the years before they flew their 37-hour mission to strike Iran's nuclear site at Fordo, the U.S. Air Force pilots spent at least 24 hours straight in a B-2 bomber flight simulator that is a replica of their cockpit. In the days or weeks leading up to the mission, they most likely ran simulated runs on a target made to look like the heavily fortified site buried deep in a mountain. Almost everything about the mission, flown from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, would feel the same with just a couple of big differences, said retired Lt. Gen. Steven L. Basham, who flew the plane in training and combat missions for nine years. In the real mission, flown in the early hours of Sunday morning in Iran, the pilots would 'feel the clunk' of their weapons bay doors opening, briefly changing the shape of the stealth plane and potentially exposing it to enemy radar. The B-2s that attacked Fordo were each carrying two Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs designed to disable the deeply buried target. When the two-person crews released their payload, weighing a total of 60,000 pounds, their B-2 most likely surged briefly upward, General Basham said. For the pilots, it was almost certainly a new feeling. Other bombers in the American arsenal, such as the B-1 and B-52, played big roles in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dropping huge numbers of bombs in support of ground troops. But the B-2 — the most expensive plane in history, at $2.2 billion a copy — played a much more specialized role. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
How Operation 'Midnight Hammer' fell
The 'Invisible Defenders' rolled from aircraft hangers into the muggy Missouri air at the start of a mission destined for the annals of military aviation. Assembled were nine of the most expensive and advanced aircraft in the world, the B-2 Stealth Bomber, eerily futuristic in appearance and destined to reshape the Middle East. Even at Whiteman Air Force Base in the US Mid-West the details of the mission were a closely guarded secret. The bombers slipped into the clammy darkness above Whiteman at just after midnight local time on Saturday at the start of a 37-hour mission that would surprise the world. Today, that world is adjusting to the implications of Operation Midnight Hammer, a mission marking the end of a 45-year stand-off between the United States and Iran . A vast amount of detail has yet to be released, but the mission was planned and rehearsed years in advance for precisely the situation the US is now confronted by. Under the wings of each of the B-2s were two of the biggest conventional bombs ever produced, the GBU-57, or Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) as it is known in military vernacular. Initially, the fleet flew in a triangular formation across the night sky and over the great plains and lakes of America's interior. But then came the first of many deceptions – intended to keep the world guessing about Donald Trump's intentions – when a pair of B-2s split from the 'strike package' and headed west towards the Pacific. Their destination was not Iran but Guam, a US island territory in Pacific Micronesia and home to the Andersen Air Force Base, 4,000 miles from Iran. Keen watchers of the sky, particularly in these turbulent times, soon picked up on their movements and reports spread. Their intended destination was reported on international wire services and made the Trump-friendly Fox News headlines. That focus allowed the remaining seven-strong team to head to their real target – the nuclear facilities run by the Tehran regime. Operating under virtual radio silence, they flew undetected for 18 hours, aided by refuelling tankers in the sky to keep them on their way. General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained to the world's press yesterday: 'As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy. This deception effort was known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington DC and in Tampa [the headquarters of US Central Command]. 'The main strike package proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. 'Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuellings.' Senior US officials, including the Commander-in-Chief himself, were buoyed by the success of the sleight of hand as they gathered in the White House War Room. There the US President, whose second term is likely to be shaped by the fallout from yesterday's operation, was joined by leading lieutenants, such as Vice-President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. A notable absentee was National Security Director Tulsi Gabbard, who became persona non grata after she backed a US intelligence report that concluded that Iran, contrary to Israel's claims, was not on the cusp of developing a nuclear missile. Reportedly, President Trump has scarcely spoken to her since. She is likely to have been among the majority of US officials who were entirely unaware that Midnight Hammer was taking place. It was America's most classified mission of recent times. Very few officers in the Pentagon knew of its existence, let alone the operational details. According to reports, the UK was told of the mission before the bombs dropped, but President Trump's decision to launch it from mainland United States, rather than the joint UK-US base at Diego Garcia, was telling. Seemingly, he was determined to deliver an 'America First' mission to convince isolationist sceptics in his Make America Great Again (MAGA) support base that he had made the right call. That determination dictated that the United States provided every one of the 125 combat aircraft involved, every precision-guided missile, every cruise missile and every naval vessel. The seven remaining B-2s continued towards Iran, shielded by an echelon of fighter jets. But the US's opening salvo would be fired not from any of these aircraft but a US nuclear submarine in the Arabian Sea. At just before 10pm GMT the as-yet unnamed US submarine fired more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. Their purpose was to neutralise Iranian defence systems protecting nuclear enrichment facilities at Isfahan. When these sites had been destroyed, the B-2 group entered Iranian airspace. The stealth jet squadron slipped into enemy skies, moving into attack formation at 'high altitude and high speed', with lighter, more mobile F-22 fighter jets sweeping in front of the B-2s to shield them from any surface-to-air or air-to-air fire. There was none. Not a single shot was fired at any of the aircraft or warships involved in Midnight Hammer from the beginning of the operation to its end. Soon they were on top of their main target, the Fordow nuclear plant buried in a mountain south of Tehran and protected with reinforced concrete. The first bunker-busters struck vulnerable positions at the facility such as ventilation shafts. According to US commanders, all 14 GBU-57s struck their intended targets. Smoking craters picked up on satellite images yesterday looked almost like pin-pricks on the rocky landscape, showing the accuracy of the strikes. The huge blast effects desired by the Americans will have occurred deep beneath the surface. Finally, it appears a further volley of Tomahawk cruise missiles launched by US Navy vessels to protect the B-2s and F-22s as they began their long journey home. The aircraft left Iranian airspace just 25 minutes later and headed home, seemingly without the regime having a clue that they were there. Then, and only then, did the White House inform Congress of the military action. This could prove controversial in the US, particularly as no exceptions were made for senior Republicans in both houses. Even ultra-loyal Trump lawmakers had to wait. As the US had not declared war on Iran, the bombing mission did not need Congress's prior approval. Gen Caine said yesterday that initial assessments indicated that 'all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction'. President Trump boasted that they had been 'completely and totally obliterated' and that no other military in the world could have accomplished the mission.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
How Operation 'Midnight Hammer' fell: Mission was built on deception and surprise... with not a shot fired back
The 'Invisible Defenders' rolled from aircraft hangers into the muggy Missouri air at the start of a mission destined for the annals of military aviation. Assembled were nine of the most expensive and advanced aircraft in the world, the B-2 Stealth Bomber, eerily futuristic in appearance and destined to reshape the Middle East. Even at Whiteman Air Force Base in the US Mid-West the details of the mission were a closely guarded secret. The bombers slipped into the clammy darkness above Whiteman at just after midnight local time on Saturday at the start of a 37-hour mission that would surprise the world. Today, that world is adjusting to the implications of Operation Midnight Hammer, a mission marking the end of a 45-year stand-off between the United States and Iran. A vast amount of detail has yet to be released, but the mission was planned and rehearsed years in advance for precisely the situation the US is now confronted by. Under the wings of each of the B-2s were two of the biggest conventional bombs ever produced, the GBU-57, or Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) as it is known in military vernacular. Initially, the fleet flew in a triangular formation across the night sky and over the great plains and lakes of America's interior. But then came the first of many deceptions – intended to keep the world guessing about Donald Trump's intentions – when a pair of B-2s split from the 'strike package' and headed west towards the Pacific. Their destination was not Iran but Guam, a US island territory in Pacific Micronesia and home to the Andersen Air Force Base, 4,000 miles from Iran. Keen watchers of the sky, particularly in these turbulent times, soon picked up on their movements and reports spread. Their intended destination was reported on international wire services and made the Trump-friendly Fox News headlines. That focus allowed the remaining seven-strong team to head to their real target – the nuclear facilities run by the Tehran regime. Operating under virtual radio silence, they flew undetected for 18 hours, aided by refuelling tankers in the sky to keep them on their way. General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained to the world's press yesterday: 'As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy. This deception effort was known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington DC and in Tampa [the headquarters of US Central Command]. 'The main strike package proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. 'Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuellings.' Senior US officials, including the Commander-in-Chief himself, were buoyed by the success of the sleight of hand as they gathered in the White House War Room. There the US President, whose second term is likely to be shaped by the fallout from yesterday's operation, was joined by leading lieutenants, such as Vice-President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. A notable absentee was National Security Director Tulsi Gabbard, who became persona non grata after she backed a US intelligence report that concluded that Iran, contrary to Israel's claims, was not on the cusp of developing a nuclear missile. Reportedly, President Trump has scarcely spoken to her since. She is likely to have been among the majority of US officials who were entirely unaware that Midnight Hammer was taking place. It was America's most classified mission of recent times. Very few officers in the Pentagon knew of its existence, let alone the operational details. According to reports, the UK was told of the mission before the bombs dropped, but President Trump's decision to launch it from mainland United States, rather than the joint UK-US base at Diego Garcia, was telling. Seemingly, he was determined to deliver an 'America First' mission to convince isolationist sceptics in his Make America Great Again (MAGA) support base that he had made the right call. That determination dictated that the United States provided every one of the 125 combat aircraft involved, every precision-guided missile, every cruise missile and every naval vessel. The seven remaining B-2s continued towards Iran, shielded by an echelon of fighter jets. But the US's opening salvo would be fired not from any of these aircraft but a US nuclear submarine in the Arabian Sea. At just before 10pm GMT the as-yet unnamed US submarine fired more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. Their purpose was to neutralise Iranian defence systems protecting nuclear enrichment facilities at Isfahan. When these sites had been destroyed, the B-2 group entered Iranian airspace. The stealth jet squadron slipped into enemy skies, moving into attack formation at 'high altitude and high speed', with lighter, more mobile F-22 fighter jets sweeping in front of the B-2s to shield them from any surface-to-air or air-to-air fire. There was none. Not a single shot was fired at any of the aircraft or warships involved in Midnight Hammer from the beginning of the operation to its end. Soon they were on top of their main target, the Fordow nuclear plant buried in a mountain south of Tehran and protected with reinforced concrete. The first bunker-busters struck vulnerable positions at the facility such as ventilation shafts. According to US commanders, all 14 GBU-57s struck their intended targets. Smoking craters picked up on satellite images yesterday looked almost like pin-pricks on the rocky landscape, showing the accuracy of the strikes. The huge blast effects desired by the Americans will have occurred deep beneath the surface. Finally, it appears a further volley of Tomahawk cruise missiles launched by US Navy vessels to protect the B-2s and F-22s as they began their long journey home. The aircraft left Iranian airspace just 25 minutes later and headed home, seemingly without the regime having a clue that they were there. Then, and only then, did the White House inform Congress of the military action. This could prove controversial in the US, particularly as no exceptions were made for senior Republicans in both houses. Even ultra-loyal Trump lawmakers had to wait. As the US had not declared war on Iran, the bombing mission did not need Congress's prior approval. Gen Caine said yesterday that initial assessments indicated that 'all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction'. President Trump boasted that they had been 'completely and totally obliterated' and that no other military in the world could have accomplished the mission.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Satellite image captures decades-old US-made F-5 jets at an Iranian airbase, offering a snapshot of Tehran's vintage air force
New satellite imagery of an Iranian base shows several aging F-5 fighter jets. The US-made F-5s, which first flew in the 1950s, are part of Iran's outdated air force. Tehran relies heavily on its missile and drone arsenal, rather than crewed fighter aircraft. A new satellite image taken of an Iranian airbase showed a handful of decades-old, American-made F-5 fighter jets, offering a look at Tehran's antiquated air force. The photo, captured Tuesday by US commercial satellite imaging company Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider amid Israeli strikes on Iranian military assets, showed six F-5s on alert and dispersed around the Dezful airbase in western Iran. The section of the base did not appear to have been targeted by Israel, which has spent the past six days launching airstrikes against Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The intensive bombing campaign has caused widespread damage across the country and killed a number of senior commanders. There are several variants of the F-5 supersonic light fighter made by the US aircraft manufacturer Northrop Corporation. The early F-5 took its first flight in the late 1950s and was introduced the following decade. The US procured thousands of these aircraft for use by allies. Iran, once an American ally, acquired F-5A/B Freedom Fighters and F-5E/F Tiger IIs in the 1960s and 1970s, building its air force before the 1979 Iranian Revolution tanked relations between the two countries, ending logistical, maintenance, and technological support. Iran is estimated to have had a few dozen F-5s in service in recent years, with many of the originally purchased fighter jets non-operational or long since disposed of amid strains on maintaining the aircraft. The US military, specifically the Air Force and Navy, still uses the jet for training purposes, though not for active combat operations. Iran's air force is fairly outdated and obsolete due to international sanctions and other embargoes that prevent the country from obtaining more high-tech weaponry but also critical components and parts. Aside from the F-5, Tehran operates other aging aircraft, including the Soviet-era Su-24 and MiG-29, and the American-made F-14 Tomcat. An Iranian official said earlier this year that Tehran had purchased newer Su-35 aircraft from Russia, but it's unclear how many, if any, have been delivered. The Israel Defense Forces said on Monday that it had bombed two F-14s at Tehran's main airport, marking what it described as "another loss of strategic weaponry for the enemy." The IDF also confirmed on Wednesday that it struck five Iranian attack helicopters. Limited in its airpower, Iran has invested heavily in developing a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and attack drones. By contrast, the Israeli Air Force operates newer and more powerful aircraft, such as the F-35I stealth fighter and the older but highly effective F-16 and F-15 jets. Israeli officials said that the country has, with its mix of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, achieved air superiority over swaths of Iran, including Tehran, after battering its air defenses. Amid fighting between Israel and Iran, another image captured by Maxar on Tuesday showed what appeared to be several of Iran's Shahed-136 attack drones on and next to trailers parked on a taxiway at Dezful. Iran has used its notorious Shahed-136s in its ongoing retaliatory attacks against Israel. Tehran has also sent many of these drones, also described as loitering munitions, to Russia, which has used them to carry out strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. Russia also produces its own domestic version of the Shahed-136, which has increasingly become a problem for Ukraine. Israeli combat aircraft have launched hundreds of airstrikes across Iran since Friday, targeting the country's nuclear program, its leading scientists, senior commanders, air defenses, missile launchers, weapons production sites, bases, and other military infrastructure. Iran has, in turn, retaliated against Israel by launching around 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones. Read the original article on Business Insider
Reuters
09-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Trump's vision for a twin-engine F-55 fighter jet faces reality check
WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of a new, twin-engine version of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet may need to be scaled back due to cost and engineering realities, according to two people familiar with the matter. Speaking in Doha last month, Trump said the new "F-55" would feature "two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35." However, there is a caveat, with Trump saying, "if we get the right price." Trump was not shown a twin-engine redesign of the F-35, the two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Developing such a jet would require an extensive overhaul, running into billions of dollars and taking years to complete, the sources said. Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab had briefed Trump on a possible upgrade to the F-35 during multiple meetings before the Doha event, the people said. The proposal included just one "advanced" engine, a redesigned nose and forward fuselage, and a new sensor suite. Trump's reference to the "F-55" - the designator of the jet - caught officials and industry insiders off guard, particularly the mention of twin engines, a feature Trump has said he prefers for safety in case one engine fails. Lockheed is exploring the development of two new fighter jet variations, according to industry experts and the two sources. The proposed F-55 emerges against a backdrop of intensifying global competition in military aviation. China continues rapid development of its J-36 and J-50 stealth fighters, while Russia advances its Su-57 program despite economic constraints. After Doha, Lockheed acknowledged Trump's comments with measured enthusiasm, stating, "We thank President Trump for his support of the F-35 and F-22 and will continue to work closely with the Administration to realize its vision for air dominance." A Wall Street analyst tracking what might replace Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N), opens new tab F-35, said "it sounds like Trump has asked DoD to consider a twin-engine variant of the F-35 'if we get the right price,'" according to a note from TD Cowen. Shifting the F-55 to two engines would initiate a costly and lengthy redesign of the F-35's airframe - and while it would make the jet fast, it would delay production by years, industry experts and one of the people said. Lockheed CEO James Taiclet had told investors in an April call that the company was exploring a "fifth-generation-plus" fighter concept that would apply technologies developed for its unsuccessful F-47 bid to enhance the F-35 platform. These new technologies would make it much harder to export the F-55, the people said, adding that they are still highly controlled. "We're basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari," Taiclet told analysts in April, claiming such an approach could deliver 80% of next-generation capability at half the cost. Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab beat out Lockheed to win the contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), now named the F-47 which will be America's first sixth-generation fighter and intended to replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. Because Lockheed lost the NGAD competition it is able to leverage its production plans for new jets. Lockheed had production spaces already lined up, the people said, and the president was made aware the company was poised to move ahead. "Lockheed is much further along than he realized," one of the people said. The timing of the F-55 announcement raises questions about how it fits into existing defense procurement plans and budgets. The Pentagon is already managing multiple high-cost aviation programs, including the ongoing F-35 program, the new F-47 development, and potentially the Navy's next generation carrier-based fighter jet - F/A-XX. For Lockheed Martin, the F-55 concept represents a critical opportunity to maintain relevance in the high-end fighter market after significant setbacks in next-generation competitions. Boeing's NGAD, which was just awarded and therefore is not in mass production yet, is expected to eclipse the F-22's capabilities, and so would F-55, the person said, making it a formidable fighter jet.
