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But that’s how long it took for our Air Force pilots to get from Missouri to Iran and back for their stunning Saturday night attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
They did enjoy a few creature comforts while soaring through the air in B-2 Stealth bombers, however:
The B-2 stealth bombers used to attack the Fordow nuclear enrichment plant are equipped with toilets, microwaves and usually a cooler for snacks to make life more comfortable for the pilots who were stuck in the cockpit for the 37-hour trip from Missouri to Iran and back.
The fleet of advanced American bombers — originally designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union — took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base outside Kansas City on Friday for an 18 hour ride across the world, refueling several times in mid-air, officials said.
For such long trips to be bearable, the high-tech bombers have their cockpits outfitted with mini refrigerators and a microwave oven to keep its crew fed an alert.
B2 bombers have a bed, a microwave and a toilet. 37 hours is not out of the norm for such a mission. https://t.co/9813Ef1Di5
— Acclaimed Journalist (@Jonathan_Witt) June 22, 2025
Here they are, reportedly returning home (warning—profanity in video):
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 SALUTE THESE HEROS! B2 bombers spotted over Wildwood New Jersey in their return flight after bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. Salute our military and these incredible pilots who are in the air for MORE THAN 30 HOURS! pic.twitter.com/FxkgOFs4L6
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 22, 2025
Lucky for the pilots, the advanced aircraft has a relief spot as well:
And just like any plane equipped for long-haul flights, the B-2 Spirit has a toilet, too.
There’s also enough room for one pilot to lay down and rest while the other flies the batwing jet.
The B-2 first entered service 1997 and each one costs more than $2 billion; the US Air Force has a fleet of 19 — after losing one in a crash in 2008.
WATCH: Step inside the cockpit of B-2 stealth bomber. pic.twitter.com/eAh1gp0HCx
— Defense News (@defense_news) April 29, 2019
As we’ve reported, President Trump ordered the strike Saturday night after months of negotiations stalled and Iran refused to give up its nuclear ambitions. The operation appears to have wiped out the Fordow nuclear site, which was buried deep within a mountain but was hit by massive bunker-busting bombs sent courtesy of the B-2s. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deemed the mission, code-named “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a complete success Sunday morning. “It took a great deal of precision,” he told reporters. “It involved misdirection and the highest of operational security.”
And it couldn’t have happened without the B-2s, the bunker-busters, and our brave pilots.
Take a tour:
