
- B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flew over Alaska during Putin and Trump’s Ukraine meeting
- It is capable of entering sophisticated air defenses and delivering precision strikes against hardened targets
- Mr Putin looked upward as the bomber screeched overhead
The United States' military might was on full display on Friday at Alaska when a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flanked by US fighter jets thundered across the sky above Russian President Vladimir Putin, as he met President Donald Trump for a high-stakes meeting on the Ukraine conflict.
The B-2 is capable of entering sophisticated air defenses and delivering precision strikes against hardened targets, as they did in June when the US forces bombarded Iranian nuclear sites.
A 22-second viral video showed the two Presidents walking down a red carpet towards a waiting stage at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, when the B-2 bomber and fighter jets flew above them. Mr Putin looked upward as the bomber screeched overhead.
Trump just flew a B-2 stealth bomber over Putin's head…
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) August 15, 2025
Absolutely incredible. pic.twitter.com/2bsnssRv9f
The display appeared to send across a message of the US's force and military might ahead of the discussion with Russia, which is also a nuclear power.
The US B-2 costs about $2.1 billion each, making it the most expensive military aircraft ever built. Made by Northrop Grumman, the bomber, with its cutting-edge stealth technology, began its production run in the late 1980s but was curbed by the fall of the Soviet Union. Only 21 were made after the Pentagon's planned acquisition program was truncated.
The B-2 Stealth Bomber's range of over 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 km) without refueling enables global strike capabilities from continental US bases. With aerial refueling, the B-2 can reach virtually any target worldwide, as demonstrated in missions from Missouri to Afghanistan and Libya and now Iran.
Its payload capacity of more than 40,000 pounds (18,144 kg) allows the aircraft to carry a diverse array of conventional and nuclear weapons. The aircraft can carry up to 16 B83 nuclear bombs. The bomber's internal weapons bays are specifically designed to maintain stealth characteristics while accommodating large ordnance loads, which could include two GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator), a 30,000-pound precision-guided "bunker buster" bomb.
Reports said six bunker buster bombs were used on Iran's Fordow research site in June this year.
Breaking Russia Ukraine Peace Deal News! President Trump Announces "Productive Meeting" That Made "Good Progress" But A Final Peace Deal Has Yet To Be Finalized.
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 15, 2025
Putin and Trump Held a Joint Press Conference To Update The World On The Joint Peace Talks pic.twitter.com/29ZmMn9BRc
The B-2's two-pilot crew configuration reduces personnel requirements while maintaining operational effectiveness through advanced automation systems.
The B-2's stealth technology incorporates radar-absorbing materials and angular design features that minimize detection by enemy air defense systems. Its radar cross-section is reportedly comparable to that of a small bird, making it nearly invisible to conventional radar.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict began with Moscow's invasion of Kyiv in February 2022, a war that has killed thousands of people so far and on which Moscow has not yet relented, making rapid gains just before the summit. It has been one of the deadliest conflicts in Europe in 80 years.
At a joint press conference after the three-hour meeting, President Trump made it clear that "there is no deal until there is a deal", indicating the absence of any proper resolution during the meeting, while President Putin described the talks as "thorough and useful".
Mr Putin also said Russia was "sincerely interested in putting an end" to the conflict in Ukraine but flagged "legitimate concerns" to be taken into account.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world