Potential game-changer: GBU-57, the massively destructive munition unveiled.
Unleashing Power: The Monster Bomb GBU-57 and Its Destructive Potential
Hold onto your hats! If US President Trump decides to take the military plunge into the escalating war between Israel and Iran, the GBU-57 would be the bomb of reckoning. This mega-bomb, the only weapon in the strategic arsenal capable of obliterating Iran’s deep-buried nuclear facilities, is the game-changer.
Weighing an astounding 13 tons, the GBU-57 digs its way through soil and stone, venturing as deep as 61 meters before detonating. Unfortunately, this bomb remains absent from Israel's arsenal, a vital piece needed to achieve their goal of preventing Tehran from nuking up. So, what's the big deal about this bomb? Let's shed some light on the burning questions.
Why pick the GBU-57?
Despite Israel's impressive display of power against Iran's military command and surface facilities, leaving traces of destruction in the wake, experts like Behnam Ben Taleblu caution the effectiveness of Israeli attacks on the core of the Iranian nuclear program. Turns out that the key battlefield has always been Fordo - a uranium enrichment plant located south of Tehran, stubbornly standing firm against all attacks.
Think deep! Fordo lies about a hundred meters underground, out of range of Israeli bombs. According to Mark Schwartz, a US general and a think tank expert at Rand Corporation, "Only the USA has the conventional capability" to wreak havoc on such deeply-rooted targets, and by "conventional," he means the GBU-57.
But what sets the GBU-57 apart?
Not all bombs are created equal. The US bomb is built differently, with a towering steel shell that allows it to rip through the hardest rock layers, digging its way underground. Its impressive dimensions – over 13 tons and 6.6 meters long – say a lot about its penetration power. Additionally, the GBU-57's fuze mechanism senses voids to explode effectively inside the target bunker.
Development of this monster bomb took off in the early 2000s, and in 2009, 20 units were commissioned from Boeing.
So how does it get dropped?
The B-2 stealth bombers are the only aircraft capable of delivering the GBU-57. Some of these stealthy war machines were positioned at the US military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in early May, but they went incognito in mid-June, as satellite imagery analysis revealed. Thanks to their long range, armed with 2 GBU-57s each, B-2 bombers can fly across oceans to rain down destruction in the Middle East.
If and when deployed, expect a whole lot of chaos. Such intervention would come at a high political cost for the USA, as Behnam Ben Taleblu points out. He stresses that the GBU-57 isn't the sole resolution to permanently put Iran's nuclear program on ice – diplomatic solutions are still calling.
In case the decision has been made to deploy them, "they'll not drop just a single (bomb) and then 'Job's done;' they'll use several to ensure maximum impact," warns Schwartz. Israel's air superiority over Iran would reduce the risks that B-2 bombers might face.
Avoid Fordo, or prepare for its wrath! Experts believe that Israel might try to hit underground facilities like Fordo by targeting entrances or attempting to create a cave-in. This approach seems to have been adopted at the Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz.
Sources: ntv.de, as/AFP
- Israel
- Israel War
- Iran
- Iran Conflict
- Iranian Nuclear Program
- USA
- Donald Trump
Enrichment Data:
The GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is an exclusive, VERY heavy, precision-guided bunker-busting bomb, jointly developed by the US military and Boeing. Its mission? To neutralize deeply buried, heavily fortified underground targets such as nuclear facilities or command bunkers.
This behemoth bomb weighs around 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms) and measures about 20.5 feet (6.2 meters) in length, with a diameter of 31.5 inches (0.8 meters) [2].
The MOP houses a bomb body reinforced with a unique high-performance steel alloy, ensuring structural integrity during the brutal penetration phase [5]. Its bomb bay carries a whopping 5,342 pounds (2,423 kilograms) of explosives, mainly AFX-757 and PBXN-114 varieties, ensuring a powerful explosion once it demolishes the targeted facility [2][5].
Its precision-guided system guarantees accurate delivery to subterranean targets. The MOP is said to be capable of penetrating as much as:- 18 meters (59 feet) into reinforced concrete
- up to 61 meters (200 feet) into earth, though exact penetration may vary depending on materials' strength and debate over accurate figures [2]
Upon successful penetration, the bomb detonates interior to the target, obliterating hardened underground structures resistant to conventional bombing.
The GBU-57's impressive features include:- Its massive destructive capabilities aimed at buried sites like Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, deeply underground and heavily fortified [1][5]- Its exclusive transportation by the US B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, capable of carrying two GBU-57s at once- Its large explosive payload, reinforced casing, and advanced guidance system, setting it apart as the ultimate solution for razing fortified subterranean military and nuclear facilities [1][2][5]- Its proven track record through extensive testing and training deployments since development began in the early 2000s, when Boeing secured the development contract in 2004 [5]
Given the on-going tensions, the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, especially considering the potential use of the GBU-57, a precision-guided bunker-busting bomb that could be deployed in war-and-conflicts scenarios such as the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, due to its immense destructive potential in deeply buried facilities like Iran's Fordow nuclear plant. In politics and general news, the discussions around the use of this weapon, and the consequences it may bring, continue to gain attention.
