Overview
The transcript details Operation Midnight Hammer, a secret US airstrike against Iran's fortified Fordo nuclear bunker using advanced B2 Spirit bombers, highlighting the operation's deception, execution, and the aircraft's stealth technology.
Operation Midnight Hammer Overview
- The US executed a coordinated attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, code-named Operation Midnight Hammer, on June 21, 2025.
- The mission involved B2 Spirit bombers and submarine-launched cruise missiles targeting Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sites.
- Deceptive tactics were employed: bombers split into a decoy group and a main strike group to mislead Iranian and global observers.
- The B2s flew a nearly 37-hour, round-trip mission from Missouri, relying on mid-air refueling.
Strike Execution and Tactics
- The decoy group flew toward US outposts in the Indian Ocean while the main group, with seven B2s, headed toward Iran.
- KC135 Strato tankers enabled multiple in-air refuelings, allowing long-range flight and sustained mission time.
- The main attack group crossed into the Middle East over Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, with uncertainty about their notification of the operation.
- Electronic warfare, jamming, and decoy aircraft were deployed to confuse Iranian radar and defenses.
- US Navy submarines launched over 30 cruise missiles at Isfahan nuclear sites to distract and overwhelm Iranian responses.
Fordo Nuclear Facility Target Details
- Fordo is deeply buried under approximately 40 meters of solid rock and guarded by six tunneled entrances.
- The facility is shielded by mountainous terrain, making aerial strikes extremely challenging.
- B2s delivered GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs, focusing on the ridge above tunnel networks and entrances.
- Satellite imagery post-strike showed significant damage to at least three main entrances.
B2 Spirit Stealth and Bombing Technology
- B2 Spirit bombers lack vertical stabilizers to minimize radar reflection, using split drag rudders for directional control, resulting in slow turning.
- Composite structure includes fiberglass, graphite epoxy, aluminum, titanium, and polyimide for heat resistance and stealth.
- Uses radar-absorbing material (RAM) paint technology to evade detection.
- Bomb bays can carry up to 80 Mark 82 bombs (500 lb each) or 16 AGM-158 missiles.
- MOP bombs use GPS/inertial navigation and adjustable rear fins for precision targeting and deep-penetration capability.
Outcome and Observations
- While bombers struck Fordo and entrances, reports suggest uranium centrifuges had been removed days before the strike.
- Post-strike assessments confirmed visible damage but left ambiguity on the operation’s full success in disrupting Iran’s nuclear capability.