Feared

Just when you least expect it...

https://youtube.com/shorts/AixCVm4uPmY?si=6zVuCGC73AvUcC2i

https://youtube.com/shorts/F-fzJRQ_Fmw?si=4IEjm45dcWH-KqIH

 Copilot:

On his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska, Russia's Vladimir Putin was treated with a flyover from an American jet fighter. What was it: an F-35 or an F-22?

Both, actually—plus a little extra flair. 🇺🇸✈️

During the high-profile summit between President Trump and President Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage on August 15, 2025, the U.S. staged a dramatic flyover featuring:

Four F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, flown in from nearby Eielson Air Force Base

Two F-22 Raptors, positioned on either side of the red carpet as symbolic sentinels

And the centerpiece: a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, soaring overhead as a show of strategic might

The flyover wasn’t just ceremonial—it was a calculated display of American airpower, echoing the types of aircraft used in recent operations like the June strikes on Iran. You could say it was part diplomacy, part deterrence, and all theater.

Want to dig into the aircraft capabilities or the symbolism behind this lineup?

Tell me about the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber overhead!!

Ah, the B-2 Spirit—America’s ghost in the sky. 🕶️✈️ That flyover wasn’t just for show; it was a flex of one of the most advanced pieces of military engineering ever built.

🛩️ B-2 Spirit: The Phantom Powerhouse

Design: A flying wing with no tail, the B-2’s shape minimizes radar reflections. Its radar cross-section is said to be no larger than a small bird.

Stealth Tech:

Radar-absorbing materials (RAM) coat the entire airframe.

Internal weapons bays keep its profile clean and undetectable.

Engine inlets are buried deep to reduce infrared and acoustic signatures.

Payload: It can carry up to 80 JDAMs (500 lb GPS-guided bombs) or 16 B83 nuclear bombs.

Range & Altitude:

Operates at up to 50,000 feet.

Can fly 6,000+ nautical miles unrefueled, or 10,000+ with midair refueling.

Combat Record: Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, and most recently, Operation Midnight Hammer over Iran in 2025—where it penetrated airspace undetected and struck nuclear facilities.

💰 The Price of Invisibility

Only 21 were built, each costing $2.13 billion (including R&D)

Still in service today, with retirement planned around the mid-2030s as the B-21 Raider takes over.

📸 Visuals Incoming

I’ve pulled up some striking images of the B-2 Spirit in flight and on the tarmac—check them out in the image card below.

                                                                            

Let me know if you want to compare it to the F-22 or F-35 next. The differences are wild.

Is it available to allies, and might it's successor be?

🇺🇸 The B-2 Spirit is strictly U.S.-only, and its successor—the B-21 Raider—is likely to follow the same path, though there’s a bit more nuance with the Raider.

❌ B-2 Spirit: No Export, No Exceptions

Only operated by the U.S. Air Force.

Its stealth, nuclear capability, and strategic role make it far too sensitive for foreign sales.

Even close allies like the UK, Australia, and NATO partners have never been offered access.

🤔 B-21 Raider: A Maybe... but Probably Not

There’s been debate about whether the B-21 could be shared with allies, especially given:

Its modular design, which could allow for downgraded export versions.

The success of the F-35 program, which boosted interoperability and lowered costs through allied participation.

Its role as a command-and-control node, potentially useful in joint operations.

But there are serious concerns:

The B-21’s tech is described as “exquisite” and “paradigm-changing,” especially in stealth and sensor fusion.

The risk of technology leakage or geopolitical shifts makes export a strategic gamble.

It may end up like the F-22 Raptor, which was legally barred from export due to its sensitive capabilities.

🧠 Strategic Implications

If the U.S. ever did export the B-21, it would likely be:

To Five Eyes partners (UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand) under extreme security protocols.

In a limited, non-nuclear configuration, possibly focused on conventional strike and ISR roles.

But as of now, no export plans are confirmed, and the Air Force seems inclined to keep it exclusive.

Would you want to explore how allies compensate for not having access to these platforms—like Australia’s long-range strike plans or NATO’s evolving bomber doctrine?

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/05/new-b-21-raider-bomber-question-the-air-force-must-solve/