How are pilots trained for demanding B-2 bomber flights?

Transcript

00:00The U.S. Air Force's B-2 stealth bomber played a key role in strikes against Iran's nuclear

00:06sites on Saturday.

00:07The U.S. military said seven of the bombers were used in Operation Midnight Hammer to

00:12fly for 18 hours from an Air Force base in Missouri to Iran to drop precision-guided

00:17munitions on three nuclear sites.

00:19The cutting-edge design of the B-2 includes features that make it stealthy and reduce

00:24infrared, radar, and acoustic signatures.

00:26But the flying wing's success ultimately hinges on human performance, and intercontinental

00:31multi-day flights demand extraordinary endurance from its two-person crew.

00:35Diet is carefully considered, and pilots go through sleep studies in advance of missions

00:40to see what wakes them up and helps them sleep.

00:43Reuters spoke with one retired B-2 pilot who said his go-to meal for the multi-day flights

00:47was turkey sandwiches without cheese.

00:50The blander, the better, he said.

00:51Some pilots also sneak in sunflower seeds to stay alert between meals.

00:56The B-2's cockpit includes a small area behind the seats, where pilots can lie down on a

01:01cot.

01:02While the B-2 can fly 6,000 nautical miles on a full tank, most missions require multiple

01:07mid-air refuelings.

01:08It's one of the most dangerous aspects of these missions.

01:11Refueling is done blind.

01:13Pilots can't see the boom extending from a tanker full of gas attaching to the B-2 16 feet

01:19behind their heads.

01:20Instead, they rely on visual cues from the tanker's lights and memorized reference points.

01:26While updates to the B-2 software since its 1989 debut have improved responsiveness to

01:31pilot commands, flying in these tight formations at high altitude remains a challenge, and the

01:37process becomes increasingly difficult as pilot fatigue sets in.

01:41The B-2 costs about $65,000 per hour to operate.

01:45Over the coming decades, the Air Force says it plans to replace the B-2 and B-1 fleets with

01:50at least 100 B-21 Raiders.