Ukraine Reports More Than Half of Russian Refining Capacity Disabled
Ukrainian long-range attacks have disabled more than 51% of Russia’s oil refining capacity, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported on Oct. 4, citing assessments by Ukrainian intelligence analysts, the General Staff, and the ministry.
Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara attributed the reported damage to a sustained campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure.
“This is the result of carefully planned, systematic, and comprehensive actions aimed at crippling the Russian war machine and destroying its military-economic potential,” Khmara said.
The assessment has not been independently confirmed. It represents an increase from the 45% reduction in Russian refining capacity reported by Ukraine’s General Staff on Sept. 21.
Refineries Named in Recent Attacks
The Defense Ministry identified several facilities affected by recent Ukrainian operations, including refineries in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kirishi, Perm, Ilsky, Saratov and Syzran. Its Ukrainian-language statement also named KINEF and Ust-Luga among the targets.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure over the past two years. Kyiv considers refineries legitimate military targets because they provide fuel and revenue that support Russia’s armed forces.
The ministry said the consequences of individual operations are not always immediately visible but have accumulated over time.
“Fifty-one percent of the damaged oil refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy’s economy, to its ability to wage aggression, and to supply its military formations,” Khmara said.
Russia Restricts Access to Energy Data
The Ukrainian assessment follows a Sept. 28 decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin restricting access to information about Russian oil refineries and energy exports.
The measure came amid an expanding Ukrainian deep-strike campaign, which has repeatedly targeted facilities far inside Russian territory. The reported restrictions may make independent assessments of refinery operations and export activity more difficult.
Ukraine has described the campaign as an effort to reduce the resources available for Russia’s war effort by damaging its military-economic capacity and moving attacks deeper into Russian territory.
Long-Range Reach Expands
Ukrainian long-range drones and missiles have demonstrated the ability to reach targets more than 1,500 kilometers, or about 930 miles, from Ukrainian-controlled territory.
On Sept. 9, the Ukrainian military reported a new distance record after a Fire Point FP-1 drone struck a Russian gas facility 3,200 kilometers, or 1,988 miles, from the Ukrainian border.
Long-range strike drones are among the Defense Ministry’s stated priorities. The ministry reported on Oct. 4 that Ukraine had tripled production and procurement of such systems in 2026.
Further Growth Planned
Ukraine plans to continue expanding its deep-strike capabilities, according to the Defense Ministry.
“This is not the limit,” the ministry said. “We will continue to scale up our long-range strike capabilities.”
The ministry characterized the refinery campaign as a systematic attempt to deprive Russia of resources used to conduct the war. Russia’s restrictions on refinery and export data, however, limit the publicly available information needed to verify the full scale of the reported damage.

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Combat pay rates rise
U.S. service members in combat zones can now receive up to $450 per month in hostile fire pay or $275 per month in imminent danger pay under new Pentagon rates effective Oct. 1, 2026.
The change doubles hostile fire pay and raises the maximum imminent danger payment by $50. It is the first increase to either form of special combat compensation since 2002.
“Those who face combat deserve higher compensation that reflects the risks that they willingly undertake on behalf of our nation,” Undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata said when the rates were announced. “Raising imminent danger and hostile fire pays for the first time in two decades is a step toward recognizing that sacrifice.”
Eligibility and payments
Hostile fire pay is available when a service member’s base or unit is attacked by hostile forces, or when the member is wounded by hostile fire or explosions. When authorized by a commander, the $450 payment is issued as a lump sum for the month.
Imminent danger pay applies to personnel serving in designated foreign areas where they face a threat of physical harm because of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism or wartime conditions. The new $275 monthly rate is prorated according to time spent in an eligible area, at $9.16 per day.
Service members cannot receive hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay for the same period of service. The military services are to coordinate with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to prevent concurrent payments.
Eligible areas expand during Iran war
The increases took effect as tens of thousands of U.S. personnel remained deployed within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility during the war with Iran. The military has rotated some units home, including carrier strike groups that served extended tours, while prolonging other deployments.
After the war began, the Defense Department expanded the locations eligible for imminent danger pay to include areas supporting Operation Epic Fury. The additions include the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia, the Arabian Sea and bases in several Middle Eastern countries.
The Pentagon had explored higher combat pay earlier in the year, pending congressional approval. When proposed in the spring, officials said the increased stipends were intended to support recruitment and retention of warfighters.
Hardship duty pay reduced
Alongside the combat pay increases, the monthly hardship duty pay-location rate falls from $150 to $100. The July 14 memorandum approving the changes said the reduction was required to remain consistent with maximum combined payments involving hardship duty pay and either hostile fire or imminent danger pay.
Timothy D. Dill, assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, approved the updated rates. The memorandum remains in effect unless it is superseded, rescinded or incorporated into a later update to the military’s hazard pay policy.
Casualties reported
According to the Defense Casualty Analysis System, 861 U.S. troops have been wounded in the war with Iran since Feb. 28, while 19 have died. More than half of the wounded personnel were injured since July 7, and the Army accounts for the majority of casualties.

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Oil Deal Enters Ukraine Peace Talks
U.S. negotiations with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine have expanded to include a potential multibillion-dollar transaction involving foreign assets owned by Russian energy company Lukoil, according to The New York Times.
The proposed deal covers oil fields, refineries and gas stations around the world. It would require approval from both the U.S. government and the Kremlin, and could involve sanctions relief that would increase the assets’ value.
The group pursuing the transaction reportedly includes U.S. billionaire investor Todd Boehly, two Middle Eastern groups that have conducted business with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner or Steve Witkoff’s family, and an arm of the U.S. government. The White House, U.S. Treasury Department and Lukoil did not respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.
Proposal Raised in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the prospective transaction during a Sept. 5 Kremlin meeting with Kushner and Witkoff, according to people familiar with the discussion.
Putin presented the deal as a way to demonstrate to Russians that they could still conduct business with the United States. Kushner and Witkoff reportedly said they would work on the proposal as a means of building goodwill with Moscow.
The transaction could also affect oil markets. Global prices have risen following the U.S. war with Iran, and lifting sanctions from some Lukoil assets could potentially increase available supply and reduce prices.
Sanctions and U.S. Policy
Lukoil is Russia’s second-largest oil producer and accounts for approximately 2% of global oil output. The company has been under U.S. sanctions since 2025, when Washington froze its U.S.-based assets and threatened secondary penalties against foreign entities doing business with them.
“Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said when the measures were announced in October 2025.
Those sanctions, the first of their kind imposed by the second Trump administration, were intended to pressure Moscow into peace negotiations by targeting fossil-fuel revenue supporting Russia’s war effort. The U.S. subsequently issued a limited waiver covering some of Lukoil’s foreign assets and extended it earlier this year.
The Senate has also passed legislation intended to make it easier to sanction countries that subsidize Russia’s war economy. The newly reported proposal, however, could remove restrictions from Lukoil assets included in a sale.
Lukoil’s International Holdings
Lukoil owns stakes in oil fields in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Middle East, Africa and other regions. It also operates three European refineries and hundreds of gas stations worldwide, including in the United States.
In January, Lukoil announced an agreement to sell most of its foreign assets to U.S. investment firm Carlyle. That transaction remains subject to U.S. government approval.
Swiss-based oil trader Gunvor had previously sought to acquire the international holdings but withdrew its bid in November after the Treasury Department described the company as the “Kremlin’s puppet.”

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Territory Recovered in Donetsk
Ukraine’s Third Army Corps says it has retaken 51 square kilometers in the latest phase of Operation Vivaldi, bringing total reported gains across the three-phase offensive to 176 square kilometers.
The corps said Ukrainian forces restored control over Nove, Ridkodub, Katerynivka, Karpivka and Novomykhailivka in the Lyman sector of the Donetsk region. Open-source battlefield monitors, including DeepState, have independently documented Ukrainian gains in the area, although the full scale of the claims has not been independently verified.
More than 250 Russian personnel were captured during the operation, according to corps commander Gen. Andrii Biletskyi. He said entire subunits surrendered, including officers, drone pilots, artillery personnel, mortar crews and electronic warfare specialists.
Defense of the Lyman Sector
Operation Vivaldi targeted Russian forces attempting a pincer movement around Lyman, an important defensive and logistical hub in northern Donetsk. Russian troops had advanced to the Siverskyi Donets River, threatening supply routes supporting the city.
Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies and an analyst at the Come Back Alive Initiatives Center, said further Russian advances could have disrupted logistics and made Lyman significantly harder to defend.
The operation was intended to regain the initiative and prevent local Russian advances from developing into wider gains in Donetsk. Biletskyi said the campaign, named after Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, would continue.
Deception and Unmanned Systems
The Third Army Corps said it misled Russian forces into expecting Ukraine’s principal attack toward Shandryholove and Zelena Dolyna. Russian reserves were drawn into counterattacks there while Ukrainian troops advanced toward Nove.
Ukraine combined infantry, armor, artillery and drones while emphasizing unmanned systems to reduce risks to personnel. Small ground robots were reportedly deployed behind Russian lines, while two Soviet-era BTR-60 armored personnel carriers were converted into remotely operated vehicles, filled with explosives and sent against fortified positions near Nove and Katerynivka.
According to the corps, the vehicles struck a command-and-communications site, while Ukrainian forces also destroyed launch positions used by Russia’s Rubicon drone unit. Assault troops then broke through defensive positions.
The corps said backup communications channels kept reconnaissance units connected with command posts and drones when Starlink service failed. It reported that damaged communications were restored during the offensive, though those performance claims have not been independently confirmed.
Competing Battlefield Claims
The Third Army Corps reported total Russian losses of 5,000 personnel across all three phases of Operation Vivaldi, without providing a breakdown of killed, wounded and captured troops. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately said Ukrainian forces had killed or wounded 10,660 Russian personnel across all active fronts during the preceding week.
Russia denied suffering a setback near Lyman. Its Defense Ministry described Ukraine’s announcement as a “smokescreen” for Western supporters and said only small Ukrainian assault groups had unsuccessfully attempted to infiltrate northern Donetsk.
The Ukrainian and Russian casualty figures could not be independently verified.

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Army Brigade Deploying to Lithuania
Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, are deploying to Lithuania as the United States continues rotational deployments along NATO’s eastern flank.
The unit will replace the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, according to an Army news release issued in August. The scheduled rotation is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the U.S. effort to maintain forces in Europe and reinforce NATO allies.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Tuesday that the incoming rotation was already traveling to the country. His office said the force would be no smaller than the previous rotation, which included more than 1,000 troops, but Lithuania had not received a final number from Washington.
Rotation Size and Mission
U.S. European Command confirmed that Army units were continuing routine deployments to Lithuania but declined to disclose the number of troops, citing operational security.
“Routine rotations demonstrate commitment to NATO, ensuring Allied forces are optimally positioned to deter aggression,” a command official said.
The size and composition of individual rotations can vary according to training requirements, the introduction of new equipment by allies and broader U.S. force needs across Europe. European Command said such adjustments do not reduce the overall U.S. military capability assigned to the continent.
The incoming soldiers will continue a presence that has regularly brought battalion-sized Army formations to Lithuania since 2019. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States shifted to continuous rotational deployments in the country.
Security Concerns on NATO’s Eastern Flank
The deployment comes amid concern in Lithuania and other NATO countries about Russian military and hybrid activity. Lithuania has revised its civilian evacuation plans, while Belarusian forces have conducted military exercises near the Lithuanian border.
NATO has also responded to a series of Russian drone and airspace incidents in the region. Alliance military leaders said Russian airspace violations, drone activity and other hybrid incidents had increased in recent weeks and months, although NATO officials have said they do not see an imminent threat of attack.
Lithuania borders Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad territory. The entire country lies less than 150 miles from Russia, placing it near military activity associated with both Moscow and Minsk.
Wider U.S. Force Changes in Europe
The Lithuania rotation is proceeding as the United States reduces its overall troop presence in Europe. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO’s top military commander, said in May that 5,000 U.S. troops would leave Europe, including an armored brigade that will not be replaced.
Grynkewich said improving military capabilities among NATO members allows the United States to redirect forces toward other priorities. Those allied investments include a German brigade in Lithuania.
Despite the broader reduction, the Army’s recurring rotations to Lithuania remain in place under Operation Atlantic Resolve, maintaining a continuous U.S. ground presence in the country.

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SIG Sauer Introduces P385 Pistol Family
SIG Sauer unveiled the P385, a new family of modular, striker-fired 9mm pistols, at its SIG NEXT event on September 22. The lineup consists of the P385-CARRY, P385-COMP, P385-FULL, P385-COMPACT, and P385-MACH3D.
The P385 is a separate platform rather than another P320 configuration. It uses a new serialized fire-control unit, interchangeable slides and barrels, and a grip module incorporating SIG’s recoil-dampening system.
SIG previously indicated that the Carry and Comp would lead the rollout, with availability expected during the fall and early winter. Its product listings currently mark all five models as “coming soon.” Firm shipping dates and suggested retail prices have not been announced. SIG also plans compliant versions for states with additional requirements.
Carry and Comp Specifications
The P385-CARRY has a 4-inch barrel, an overall length of 7.22 inches, and a listed weight of 28.94 ounces with a magazine. Standard versions include one 17-round and one 21-round magazine.
The P385-COMP also uses a 4-inch barrel but adds an integrally compensated slide. It measures 7.9 inches overall and weighs 29.12 ounces with a magazine. Standard configurations ship with one 17-round and two 21-round magazines.
SIG lists 10-round configurations, optional manual safeties, and black or coyote finishes. Specifications and release details for the Full, Compact, and MACH3D versions remain limited. The company says the MACH3D compensator reduces muzzle rise by more than 30 percent, though that performance claim has not been independently verified here.
New Modular Grip and FCU
The removable P385 fire-control unit is specific to the platform. SIG’s interchangeable Magstrap system adjusts grip length, circumference, and trigger reach without replacing the complete grip module. It can also convert the same module between full-size and compact grip lengths.
Available Magstrap circumferences are listed as 1.95 inches for small, 2.15 inches for medium, and 2.25 inches for large. Approximate trigger reach is 2.9 inches, depending on the installed Magstrap. The grip also uses SIG’s laser-cut ReActive texture.
Controls are fully ambidextrous, including the slide catch, magazine catch, and optional manual thumb safety. A shielded slide catch is intended to reduce unintended activation during handling or firing.
Recoil and Safety Systems
The P385 places the bore lower relative to the shooter’s hand and incorporates the SIG Recoil Dampening System in the grip module. SIG says SRDS absorbs vibration and works with the low bore axis to reduce felt recoil, muzzle movement, and sight-recovery time. Compensated variants add further recoil mitigation.
A new Trigger Block sits flush with the trigger face instead of protruding like a conventional trigger-safety tab. SIG describes it as a redundant drop-safety mechanism and says the P385 meets applicable commercial, professional, military, and law-enforcement testing requirements. These manufacturer claims have not been independently tested here.
Magazines, Optics and Parts Compatibility
The P385 accepts standard P320 magazines. Older P320 magazines with rounded basepads also work, but the P385’s metal magwell must first be removed. The P320 AXG magwell and P-Series dovetail iron sights are compatible; other P320 and P365 components are not.
All five models use the SIG-LOC PRO optic-mounting system, which directly accepts Trijicon RMR- and Leupold DeltaPoint Pro-pattern optics without an adapter plate. Base configurations use XRAY3 day/night sights.
P320 and P365 holsters do not fit the P385. SIG identifies Safariland, ANR, and BlackPoint among the companies offering initial P385-specific holsters. No calibers beyond 9mm have been announced, while SIG says the P320 family will remain available.

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Ukraine Gains Access to Daybreak
OpenAI will provide the Ukrainian government with access to Daybreak, an AI-based cyber-defense program designed to identify software vulnerabilities and help teams develop and test fixes more quickly.
The initiative will support the Ministry of Digital Transformation’s efforts to protect civilian infrastructure, including hospital systems, energy networks, telecommunications and government services. OpenAI announced the arrangement on September 23, 2026, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Dmytro Kushneruk, Ukraine’s consul general in San Francisco, and Sasha Baker, OpenAI’s head of national security policy, jointly announced the offer. Financial terms and a deployment schedule were not disclosed.
Focus on Civilian Infrastructure
Ukraine continues to face cyberattacks alongside physical attacks on its infrastructure. CERT-UA, the country’s national cyber incident response team, handled nearly 6,000 cyber incidents during 2025.
Daybreak is intended for authorized defensive security work. Ukrainian teams will be able to use it to review older software, investigate suspicious activity, locate coding flaws, assess whether suspected vulnerabilities can be exploited, and verify that proposed patches close the identified gaps.
“We are proud to support Ukraine’s cyber defenders, who are protecting essential services against attacks every day,” Baker said. “Ukraine is already on the front line, and its defenders need support now.”
AI-Assisted Vulnerability Testing
Daybreak uses OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol large language model to analyze software and code. Its functions cover multiple stages of vulnerability management, including finding potential weaknesses, validating whether they pose a practical threat, and testing fixes before deployment.
George Osborne, OpenAI’s head for countries, said the project would help Ukraine defend infrastructure against both digital and physical threats. “We’re now putting our technology and resources behind that effort, helping the Ukrainian government strengthen its cyber defenses with AI,” he said.
The program follows OpenAI’s September 3 pledge to provide $1 billion in subsidized Daybreak access to resource-constrained cyber defenders worldwide. The company said at the time that access would expand to partner countries within weeks.
Previous European Deployments
OpenAI has already provided cyber agencies and defenders in France, Germany, Poland and other European countries with access to its models.
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA, used the technology to identify vulnerabilities in software deployed across EU institutions. Those flaws have since been fixed.
Poland’s national cyber agency, CERT Polska, also used OpenAI models to discover six vulnerabilities in third-party commercial router software. The vendor released patches, and CERT Polska confirmed that the fixes prevented the attacks it had observed.
OpenAI’s Changing Security Role
The Ukraine initiative reflects OpenAI’s growing involvement in government and national-security cybersecurity programs. Until January 2024, the company’s usage policy prohibited military and warfare activity. That language was removed shortly before executives disclosed that OpenAI was developing cybersecurity tools with the Pentagon.
Some researchers have noted that technology companies supporting Ukraine may also gain information from operating in an active conflict environment. Jamie MacColl of the Royal United Services Institute told the BBC that it was “no surprise that OpenAI is now also providing defensive cybersecurity services.” The announced Daybreak access is specifically directed at protecting Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.

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F-35 Components Diverted to Hong Kong
The Pentagon is investigating how components from an Australian-operated F-35 fighter jet were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while being shipped to the United States. The F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed a “shipment issue” involving unserviceable parts and said it is working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to recover them.
“We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence,” the office said.
The shipment was being transported by an intermediary on behalf of F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin. It is unclear why the cargo was rerouted or who currently possesses the equipment.
Canopy and Weapons-Bay Door Reported Missing
The shipment originated in Australia and was headed to the United States for repair or possible disposal. Bloomberg reported that it contained a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door and that China had obtained the components. Other reporting confirmed the canopy but did not establish the present location or ownership of the parts.
The canopy covers the cockpit and, according to people familiar with congressional briefings, incorporates stealth technology available only to the United States and its allies. Physical access could allow an adversary to examine the component and compare it with previously obtained technical information.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the components ended up in Hong Kong but rejected suggestions that they were sensitive.
“My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts,” Marles said. He added that Australia was working with the United States and Lockheed Martin, while responsibility for managing the incident rested with those parties.
Congressional Inquiry Underway
The diversion has prompted an inquiry on Capitol Hill and briefings for staff on national security committees. State Department and Pentagon officials first briefed congressional staff in June, with additional sessions expected.
China’s Foreign Ministry said it was unaware of the incident. The Hong Kong government declined to comment on a specific case, and Lockheed Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Beijing has tightened its control over the territory in recent years, including through national security laws. Hong Kong does not maintain its own military or conduct independent diplomacy.
Security Concerns
The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter incorporating stealth coatings, advanced radar, sensors, and networking systems designed to share information with allied aircraft and ground forces. More than 1,200 have been produced, and 19 countries have placed orders, according to the Congressional Research Service.
China has previously been accused of seeking information about the aircraft. A 2013 Defense Science Board report alleged that Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from multiple Pentagon programs, including the Joint Strike Fighter.
J.J. Gertler, a former House Armed Services Committee staff member and military aviation analyst, said possession of an actual component could provide information beyond stolen specifications. A physical part, he said, could help verify or refine data already obtained through electronic espionage.

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Whiteman Adds B-21 Weapons Facility
The United States is building a weapons and release-system facility at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to support the arrival of the B-21 Raider while maintaining B-2 Spirit operations.
Air Force documentation states that Whiteman lacks sufficient space for the munitions-related parts and equipment expected with the B-21. The new facility will store and test armament-system accessories while freeing existing space for B-2 support during the transition between the two stealth bomber fleets.
Its location near the flight line is intended to allow equipment to move efficiently among storage areas, maintenance shops and aircraft. The arrangement is expected to support sortie generation by reducing delays between maintenance, weapons loading and an aircraft’s return to operational status.
Contract and Construction Details
According to a U.S. Department of War bulletin published Sept. 21, 2026, K & K Industries received a contract valued at $13,649,923. The cumulative announced value is $14,993,485.
The Kansas City District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the contract, with construction taking place in Knob Noster, Missouri.
The project includes a new 1,580-square-meter weapons and release-system shop and alterations covering another 674 square meters. Associated work includes utilities, communications, access routes, site preparation, and cybersecurity measures for the building’s control systems.
Supporting Two Bomber Fleets
Whiteman will need to support the B-2 and B-21 simultaneously as the Raider enters service. The aircraft have different maintenance, weapons-integration, and support requirements, increasing demand for specialized work and storage space.
The new shop is intended to reduce reliance on shared facilities and help maintenance personnel test and prepare weapons-system equipment without disrupting ongoing B-2 activities. This infrastructure is designed as an operational support facility rather than solely as storage.
Keeping the B-2 available during the transition will preserve an existing penetrating-strike capability while the Air Force fields the B-21 in larger numbers. The project is intended to reduce the risk of an operational gap during that process.
B-21 Mission and Design
Developed by Northrop Grumman, the B-21 uses a flying-wing configuration similar in principle to the B-2, with additional emphasis on reducing radar signature and using radar-absorbing materials. It is intended for long-range conventional strike and nuclear deterrence missions in environments where modern air defenses restrict the use of less stealthy aircraft.
The Raider’s open architecture is designed to simplify the integration of new sensors, software, munitions, and other capabilities over its service life. It is also described as combining multi-sensor fusion, electronic warfare and networked combat systems.
Available information indicates a crew of two, a wingspan of about 44.5 meters, and an estimated maximum range near 12,000 kilometers. Exact engine arrangements, payload, and some performance figures remain undisclosed or are based on estimates.
B-2 Role During the Transition
The B-2’s current mission illustrates the capability the B-21 is expected to assume. In June 2025, seven B-2s departing from the United States participated in Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The operation involved multiple aerial refuellings and the use of 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs against heavily protected targets. It demonstrated the bomber force’s ability to operate over intercontinental distances, penetrate defended airspace, and strike high-value targets with specialized weapons.
The B-21 is intended to continue that role with a newer platform designed to adapt to evolving radar systems, integrated air-defense networks, and electronic warfare capabilities.

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