Warships, explosive drones and stealth bombers: The high-tech weapons and hardware the US is using to attack Iran Before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Washington deployed its largest military force and most advanced weaponry in the Middle East in decades. President Donald Trump had warned the US was “locked and loaded,” and the strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader gave this force a destructive purpose. US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a list of the weapons used in the conflict, which the Pentagon calls “Operation Epic Fury.” The operation included the use of B-2 stealth bombers, priced at over a billion dollars each, which are the most powerful platforms in the US Air Force. These bombers, powered by four jet engines, can carry conventional or nuclear weapons and have intercontinental range and aerial refueling capabilities. Piloted by a crew of two, the B-2s typically fly from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. During the strikes, they used 2,000-pound bombs to target Iranian ballistic missile facilities, according to CENTCOM. Earlier in 2026, seven B-2s had used the 30,000-pound massive ordnance penetrator to attack three Iranian nuclear sites in a 34-hour mission. The operation also marked the first combat use of LUCAS one-way drones by the US. Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), a drone unit activated in the Middle East late last year, was designed to deliver low-cost, effective drone capabilities to warfighters. The LUCAS drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed 136, are now being used to counter Iranian attacks. CENTCOM highlighted their role in delivering “American-made retribution.” US warships, including two aircraft carriers—the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Mediterranean—were deployed during the strikes.#us_central_command #uss_abraham_lincoln #b_2_stealth_bombers #lucas_drones #uss_gerald_r_ford
