On June 22, 2025, the military strike codenamed "Textbook Operation" shook the world — six U.S. Air Force B-2 "Spirit" stealth bombers, like night ghosts, penetrated Iran's layered air defense system, and conducted a precise strike on the underground nuclear facility of Fordo using a combination of "stealth penetration + super penetrating bomb," with no alarms triggered throughout the entire operation. This operation not only brought the strategic value of the B-2 back into focus but also intensified the debate on whether "stealth strategic bombers are essential for major powers."

The "one-way transparency" penetration capability demonstrated by the B-2 in this operation is a textbook example of modern air combat. Its flying wing configuration and radar-absorbent coating create a radar cross-section of only 0.1 square meters (equivalent to that of a bird), combined with a 11,000 km unrefueled range and a payload capacity of nearly 30 tons, enabling it to easily break through Iran's S-300 and "Bavar-373" air defense systems without escort. The detection range of Iranian radars for the B-2 was less than a mile, and even after 12 GBU-57 penetrating bombs (each weighing 13.6 tons, capable of penetrating 60 meters of earth to hit targets) were dropped, the defense system still failed to respond effectively. This "decapitation strike" capability allows major powers to precisely destroy enemy core facilities without engaging in full-scale war, achieving a strategic deterrence of "conquering the enemy without battle."

However, the "astronomical cost" of the B-2 has always been an unavoidable topic. Each aircraft costs $2.4 billion, equivalent to three times the weight of gold, and the 19 operational models require hundreds of hours of maintenance after each mission to maintain their stealth coatings, with humidity changes potentially causing cracks in the coating. During the 2024 operation against the Houthi rebels, six B-2s took 37 hours to drop just 13 tons of bombs, with the cost of a single operation far exceeding conventional strike methods by dozens of times. Although this strike against Iran achieved significant results, it also exposed its "money-eating" nature — if not targeting high-value objectives like Iran, its cost-effectiveness would be hard to justify.

The overwhelming performance of the B-2 is not universally applicable. Against China and Russia, which have systematic major powers, its survival capabilities face severe challenges. China's JY-26 meter-wave radar can detect the B-2's low-frequency signals, and when combined with the J-20's electro-optical system and high-resolution satellites, it can easily locate the B-2; the air defense network composed of the HQ-9B and S-400 covers a 460-kilometer airspace, and simulations show that the B-2's survival rate in breaking through the coastal air defense zone is very low. Obviously, the B-2 can achieve a "dimensional superiority strike" against medium-sized countries, but it cannot replicate the same battlefield results in large-scale system confrontation.

Additionally, the B-2's inherent defects also limit its battlefield performance. Rain or snow can cause water accumulation on the aircraft's surface, increasing its radar reflection signal by tens of times; the two-person crew must take turns resting on the floor inside the cabin during continuous 36-hour missions (such as this Iran operation), pushing their physiological load to the limit. Its rapid response capability is inferior to hypersonic missiles and ballistic missiles.

Despite these shortcomings, China and Russia are accelerating the development of the H-20 and PAK-DA stealth bomber projects, rooted in the irreplaceable strategic value they offer.

In the "nuclear triad" system, stealth bombers are the core pillar of the air-based nuclear force. China currently relies on the H-6K, which is non-stealth and vulnerable to interception, while the H-20, with a range over 12,000 kilometers, can carry air-launched nuclear missiles to cover the U.S. mainland, completing the last link in the nuclear deterrence chain.

In terms of penetrating "anti-access/area denial" systems, stealth bombers are key. The H-20, relying on its stealth capabilities, can conduct a "door-kicking strike" against Guam bases and aircraft carrier groups, dismantling the U.S. defense pivot in the Western Pacific. It should be noted that the cost of dropping munitions from bombers is far lower than that of long-range missiles.

From a cost-benefit perspective, compared to the exorbitant cost of an aircraft carrier group, stealth bombers can achieve global power projection with a smaller investment. The U.S. B-21 will reduce the unit price to $800 million, and China and Russia's new aircraft are also pursuing affordability, making them an ideal choice for "asymmetric deterrence."

Stealth strategic bombers are essentially "strategic deterrence amplifiers": against medium-sized countries, they are the ultimate means of "decisive strikes"; against peer competitors, even if their survival rate decreases in system confrontation, they remain indispensable as nuclear carriers and psychological deterrent tools.

Future technological iterations and operational model evolutions will reshape the form of stealth bombers. The Chinese H-20 and the B-21 will also be able to command drone swarms, forming a "manned-unmanned collaborative" network to reduce the risk of individual aircraft.

In summary, stealth bombers are "necessities" for major powers to maintain strategic balance, but they must be integrated into a systematized combat network and endure their economic and technological limits. They are both the spearhead that pierces defenses and the shield that demonstrates strength, as well as the silent declaration of a great power's status.



Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7523148964212867610/

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