Walter Finch
SEVEN exceptionally rare American B-2 Spirit stealth bombers made a surprise call to Sevilla Air Traffic Control on their way back from bombing Iran.
The bombers, which had been refuelling over the Mediterranean Sea, were en route back to their US bases after participating in the strikes in the Middle East last Sunday.
The communication, captured in audio shared on social media, revealed the bombers’ operations in detail.
Two flights were involved: BATT 11, consisting of four B-2s heading to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, and BATT 21, with three B-2s whose destination was not specified.
“BATT 11, just a question – can you spell your call sign please?” the Sevilla controller asked. He then followed up by asking: “What is your landing destination?”
“Please confirm how many aircraft are in formation?” a second controller asks BATT 21.
“Yes sir, a flight of three,” the US stealth bomber captain replies.
The exchange occurred over the Strait of Gibraltar, a critical chokepoint for military and commercial aviation.
The B-2 Spirits, known for their ability to penetrate deep into enemy territory undetected, were part of a broader Israeli offensive against Iranian nuclear sites.
The operation came just two days after Donald Trump had said he would wait ‘two weeks’ before deciding whether to involve the US military directly in the confrontation.
The strike group is thought to have hit Iran’s deeply-buried Fordow nuclear facility with massive bunker-busting Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs designed to destroy hardened targets.
They are also reported to have dropped bombs on the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in a military strike that broke with decades of US policy towards Iran and inflamed tensions in the region.
For Spain, the presence of such advanced military aircraft so close to its airspace is a reminder of the geopolitical dynamics at play.
The Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow passage between Europe and Africa, has long been a focal point for military operations due to its strategic location.
The interaction with Sevilla ATC demonstrates the complexity of coordinating international military flights with civilian air traffic, especially given the B-2’s stealth capabilities and the sensitive nature of their mission.
The B-2 Spirit, developed during the Cold War to penetrate Soviet airspace in the even of all-out war, has an unrefueled range exceeding 6,000 nautical miles and can fly over 10,000 nautical miles with mid-air refuelling.
As the bombers returned, their communication with Sevilla ATC was marked by the pilots’ confirmation of their callsigns and intentions, a procedural necessity that also served as a public acknowledgment of their recent activities.
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Oh hell, no! Where is the EU objection? If the Americans want to play stupid war games, they can do so somewhere else.