pilots of the US Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber go through a week-long rigorous preparation process before each mission, not only in terms of flight plans but also in terms of diet. With the mission likely to last nearly 2 days, the meal allowance plays a key role in maintaining alertness and aiding the pilot's digestion.
According to retired Lieutenant General Steve Basham, who has been a B-2 pilot for 9 years, the pilots are well-trained in the effects of food on sleep cycles, alertness and digestion, especially when there is only 1 chemical toilet on the plane. His familiar dish is turkey sandwiches with a banh mi tai banh, no cheese. "The bland the look, the better it is," he said.
The B-2 has a wingspan of more than 52m and can fly up to 11,112 km without re fuel, but most missions require multiple re-recharge in the air. This process was done at night, it was not possible to see the need to fuel the rear of the aircraft, forcing the pilot to rely on the light signal and the familiar reference point. In the case of no moon at night, this operation is even more dangerous.
B-2 pilots often rest in a small area behind the cockpit to regain strength, using sunflower seeds as a way to stay alert between meals. The B-2's advanced stealth design helps reduce the traces of infrared, radar and sound, but the success of the missions still depends on human endurance and performance.
Unlike old mechanical guards such as B-1B or B-52 with larger crew, B-2 has only 2 pilots, putting more responsibility on each person. The plane's fly-by-wire electronic control system, which relies entirely on computers, has been upgraded to respond faster than when it was launched in 1989. However, flying a tight formation at high altitudes is still a big challenge.
The B-2 has played a key role in major campaigns, such as the 31-hour flight to Kosovo in 1999 or the dropping of more than 680 tons of bombs in Iraq. The US Air Force is expected to replace the B-2 and B-1 with at least 100 B-21 Raider systems in the coming decades. The B-2's per hour operating cost is currently around $65,000.
work hard makes things seem easy, but in reality it is not - Basham commented. Without a huge global logistics network, there would be no successful B-2 flights.
