B-2 stealth bomber: The B-2 stealth bomber is one of the most feared fighter jets in the world. The US-made heavy bomber recently showcased its destructive power when it decimated Iranian nuclear sites using the 30,000lbs (13.6 tonne) GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP), aka the bunker buster bombs, on Iran’s Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow nuclear facilities.
Apart from its ability to carry heavy munitions and bombs like the MOP over long distances, the B-2 stealth bomber is known for its remarkable stealth capabilities which enable it to evade most conventional radar systems. However, a handful of countries have advanced radars which the B-2 stealth bomber cannot hide from.
Which countries can detect and track US’ B-2 stealth bomber?
Currently, there are only four countries in the world with the capability to detect and track stealth aircraft, including the B-2 stealth bomber. The United States, Russia, and China, are only the military powers to have developed 5th-gen stealth technology, and as a consequence also have anti-stealth radar technology, capable of detecting and tracking stealth aircraft usually designed to evade radar detection.
Interestingly, while India does not yet have an indigenous stealth fighter, but it has developed the Surya VHF radar system, which is capable of detecting stealth warplanes like the B-2 bomber.
The indigenously-developed Surya VHF radar system is integrated with India’s multi-layered aur defense system, and presents a lethal threat to enemy stealth fighters as they cannot evade detection from this system. Additionally, the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is also capable of detecting stealth aircraft like F-35 and even the B-2.
How powerful is the B-2 stealth bomber?
The Northrop B-2 Spirit, commonly known as the B-2 stealth bomber, is a heavy strategic bomber with low-observable stealth technology designed to evade dense anti-aircraft defenses. The B-2 bomber has a special radar-absorbent coating on its body, which absorbs radar signals and prevent them bouncing off the aircraft, significantly reducing detection chances by enemy radars.
This unique technology also increases the B-2’s speed, and its sleek body is designed in manner that drastically reduces the plane’s radar cross-section.
The B-2 stealth bomber is especially designed to carry heavy bombs, including the GBU-57 bunker buster, which it reportedly dropped on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site during Sunday’s attack. The heavy bomber can also carry nuclear bombs.
Additionally, the B-2 has a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, making it capable of carrying out intercontinental strikes.
China is currently flight-testing two different sixth-generation aircraft, the J-36 and J-50, however, even the most advanced 6th-gen stealth fighters are no match for a strategic bomber, due its long-flight capability, and the sheer volume of explosives it can carry, as per analysts.