|
119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
Honoring the pilots, maintainers, analysts, sailors, support aircraft, and families, among various other essential groups involved in the success of Operation Midnight Hammer.
Mr. Schmitt (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cruz, Mrs. Britt, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Budd, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Risch, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Ms. Collins) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
Honoring the pilots, maintainers, analysts, sailors, support aircraft, and families, among various other essential groups involved in the success of Operation Midnight Hammer.
Whereas, at midnight on June 21, 2025, a group of stealth aircraft headed west from the base as a decoy while 7 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers deployed from Whiteman Airforce Base in Knob Noster, Missouri, and dropped 14, 30,000-pound, GBU 57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs on Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant in the Islamic Republic of Iran;
Whereas, throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the B-2 bombers completed multiple in-flight refueling, which require precision and close flight formation, typically within 100 feet;
Whereas, once over land, the B-2 bombers joined escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications;
Whereas the strike package employed high-speed suppression weapons on 3 nuclear facilities in Iran, Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, and Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, to ensure the safe passage of the strike package with fighter assets employing preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian surface-to-air threats;
Whereas the mission devastated the Iranian nuclear program, despite denial by the Islamic Republic of Iran of any significant damage;
Whereas a United States submarine in the area of responsibility of United States Central Command launched more than 2 dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan as the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace and were the last to strike to ensure the element of surprise was retained throughout the operation; and
Whereas all operational B-2 bombers are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri, where the active-duty 509th Bomb Wing and 131st Bomb Wing Missouri Air National Guard jointly train, fly, and maintain the fleet for the Air Force: Now, therefore, be it
(1) commends the men and women involved in Operation Midnight Hammer for their bravery, highly technical expertise, and dedication to the mission to keep the United States safe;
(2) recognizes the strategic significance of Operation Midnight Hammer, citing the operation as the largest B-2 operational strike in United States history and the second longest B-2 mission ever flown, the operation is exceeded only by the days following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001; and
(3) recognizes the sacrifices of the families of the men and women involved in Operation Midnight Hammer, which allowed them to faithfully execute their duties to their military post.