The Watches Of B-2 Stealth Bomber Pilots

Iranian Nuclear Airstrike: Exploring The Custom Breitling, Omega, & Bremont Unit Watches Of The B-2 Community 

On 21 June, seven B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and set a course for Iran. Some eighteen hours later, three of the bombers struck two nuclear sites in Iran, utilizing a bomb called the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), also known as a “bunker buster”, for its first operational strike. 

As expected, analysis of the operation has unfolded along the lines of domestic partisan politics. But from a military standpoint, it's difficult to overstate the complexity of this successful operation. While hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals deserve credit, at the center are the US Air Force B-2 bomber pilots of the 509th Bomb Wing. 

At Watches of Espionage, watches are a lens through which to view history and current events. For the military aviation community, watches are tools and an important aspect of culture. In this Dispatch, we’ll explore watch culture among B-2 pilots, using several customized B-2 Unit watches as a vector to discuss the importance of the Use Your Tools ethos in the stealth bomber community. 

Northrop B-2 Spirit

Produced from 1988 to 2000, the B-2 is capable of performing combat missions at altitudes up to 50,000 feet with an unrefueled range of up to 6,000 miles. With midair refueling, the aircraft is technically only limited by pilot endurance, with all qualified pilots doing at least one 24-hour simulator flight. Designed as a stealth bomber capable of delivering nuclear payloads, the B-2 was first utilized in anger over Kosovo in 1999 and has since seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and now, Iran. 

Using Saturday’s 37-hour round-trip flight from Missouri to Iran and back as an example, the B-2 is designed for extended flight times. Media reporting since the strike suggests the aircraft has a miniature microwave, bed, and cooler for the crew of two to use, though pilots we spoke with say the reality is more spartan: 

“Unless things have changed since I flew, those were never possible. Ejection seats, an emergency-use-only chemical toilet, and that’s it.  I cannot imagine where a microwave, let alone a bed, would fit!”

Aviation Squadron (Unit) Watches

A Breitling Aerospace produced for A-10 Warthog pilots. (Photo Credit: Dale Stark)

While today “unit watches” are somewhat synonymous with Special Operations ground and maritime forces, that wasn’t always the case. In the 1990s and early 2000s, pilots were the early adopters of custom “squadron” watches, in many ways cementing the trend for the military at large. At the time, Breitling was the clear leader given its strong aviation influence and the leadership of Ernst Schneider, a professional soldier turned watch executive, and later his son, Théodore Schneider, an aviation enthusiast and helicopter pilot.  

While Breitling's aviation-focused squadron watch program has waned in recent years, Bremont has picked up much of the slack, collaborating on nearly 500 bespoke watches—ranging from F‑14s to F‑35s—often integrating tailor-made design elements and significant discounts for service.

The Omega Speedmaster Flight Qualified can be ordered by qualified US military pilots and aircrew and is available with a range of different case back insignia. (Photo Credit: Omega Forums)

In addition to Bremont and Breitling, Omega has also increased production of Unit Watches in recent years. Initially concentrated on SpecOps units, including the US Navy SEALs and Danish Frogman Corps, the more recent addition of the Speedmaster Flight Qualified seems to have opened Omega’s doors to more aviation squadrons. 

What Watches Would The B-2 Pilots Have Worn?

Like most servicemen, the likelihood is that the B-2 pilots involved in Operation Midnight Hammer wore non-connected Digital Tool Watches (D.T.W.), potentially from brands like G-Shock or Timex. However, watch culture among military pilots is strong, and when the Iran bombing mission news broke, we spoke with several former B-2 pilots to learn more about watch culture within this specialized community.  

A range of digital and mechanical watches on the wrists of graduates of the 500th pilot graduated the Initial Qualification Training program, Feb. 7, 2020, at the 13th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. (Photo Credit: US Air Force)

According to the pilots we spoke with, Digital Tool Watches were more prevalent than analog watches, though watches from brands like Seiko, Citizen, Breitling, Omega, and Rolex do occasionally see service in the cockpit during training and deployments. The aircraft itself is considered a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), so Apple Watches are not an option for a B-2 pilot in the air. That said, there is one approved early generation Garmin.

Over the years, several brands have helped B-2 pilots create customized unit watches, many of which have been used as tools during training and operations. 

A Breitling B-1 For The B-2 

Breitling's partnership with the B-2 pilot community began in 1999 during a chance encounter between an Air Force commander and a Breitling representative during The Royal International Air Tattoo airshow in Gloucestershire, England. The first squadron watch, a Breitling B-1 with the B-2 aircraft’s silhouette at three o’clock and “B-2 Stealth” text at nine, was made available to pilots only. 

The project initially stalled due to the cost, $1,500 per watch, until the pilots were awarded a bonus, which was utilized by many pilots to cover the cost of the watch. An initial batch of 45 watches was delivered in 2000, with subsequent orders in 2003 and 2005, totaling an estimated 150 watches. 

The Breitling B-1 is ideal for pilots due to its robust analog-digital display, offering instant access to multiple time zones, chronograph functions, an audible alarm, and a UTC mode essential for flight operations. 

Breitling Aerospace - B-2 Stealth

Along with the B-1, another important Breitling model for the aviation community, the Aerospace, has also been given the B-2 stealth bomber customization. Similar in its dial layout and functionality, the Aerospace’s interface is simpler, with all of the analog and digital functions being controlled by the crown. One pilot we spoke with indicated he purchased his B-2 Aerospace in 2011, with the watch delivered in 2013. The surprisingly small B-2 community, with only 19 aircraft in service and approximately 80 qualified pilots at a given time, meant it took time for a squadron to fulfill Breitling’s minimum order quantity, and waiting was part of the game. 

The B-2 pilot was also clear that his watch was used as a tool, and that many of its digital timekeeping functions became a part of his workflow while flying the B-2. 

A Bremont ALT1-B2 GMT For B-2 Pilots

In 2011, Bremont was tapped to design a squadron watch exclusively for the current and former pilots of the B-2. The original design kept things subtle, including a barely visible silhouette of the jet at three o’clock, hidden unless caught in just the right light. But pilots asked for something bolder, and Bremont listened. In 2018, Bremont updated the B-2 design with a more visible platform dubbed the Bremont B-2 II. 

In contrast to Breitling’s group order process and at times challenging minimum order quantity, Bremont is happy to fulfill military orders one by one. One of the pilots we spoke with purchased his ALT1-B2 GMT as recently as 2024, and only needed to produce his flight credentials and “Spirit number”, a unique identifier provided to anyone who has flown in a B-2. In addition to pilots, this means now senators, journalists, generals, and even John Glenn all have assigned Spirit numbers. 

Omega X-33 For B-2 Pilots 

Details are scarce, and production was extremely limited, but there were also a few custom Omega X-33 (Gen. 2) models produced exclusively for X-33 pilots. According to one of the pilots, around 2006 or 2007, a few pilots commissioned a custom version of the X-33, a watch originally designed for astronauts onboard the International Space Station in 1998, with a custom B-2 caseback. The unit cost was a palatable $800, and Omega even threw in lifetime battery changes and service. During the timeframe, the X-33 was Omega’s go-to platform for military aviation squadrons. Once again, the pilot indicated the watch was used as a tool for thousands of flight hours. 

The new Flightmaster Military could soon receive the B-2 treatment. (Photo Credit: Omega Forums)

That particular order consisted of as few as seven watches, but additional orders may have been made, and we can’t help but wonder whether the newer Speedmaster Flight Qualified might also be selected by the B-2 squadron as part of Omega’s modern unit watch program. 

Broken Arrow - Hollywood Aviation Watches

In one of the many instances of art imitating life (or vice versa?) John Travolta wears a Breitling Aerospace in 1996’s Broken Arrow. Travolta’s character is a double-crossing Air Force pilot and closeted terrorist who attempts to steal a pair of nuclear warheads he is carrying from Christian Slater’s character, the film’s hero. Major Vic Deakins pilots a fictional “B-3” Stealth Bomber, a successor to the real-life B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, and on his wrist is a 1990s-era Breitling Aerospace, with gold accents.

Travolta is a known Breitling fan and official ambassador, but even so, the Aerospace is a perfect choice for his character in Broken Arrow. The costume or prop department either knew or researched to learn the brand and model’s importance in the military aviation community.

Final Thoughts

For B-2 pilots, watches are more than personal accessories—they're talismans that memorialize the demands and discipline of flying one of the world’s most advanced aircraft. The pilots we spoke with have since moved on in their careers, with the watches one of the few physical representations of that period in their lives.

From early Breitling collaborations to Omega and modern Bremont squadron pieces, these unit watches mark time not just in hours and minutes, but in missions, milestones, and shared experiences within a small, tight-knit community.  In our community, it's never just a watch.

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