Busting Through Defenses: The Gigantic GBU-57, America's Deep-Buried Demolisher
Potentially groundbreaking ordnance: GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)
Want to know what weapon Donald Trump might unleash if he decides to get military involved in the Israel-Iran conflict? The GBU-57 is it. Known as the only strategic weapon capable of obliterating Iran's underground nuclear plants, this colossal bomb could be the key to preventing the development of an Iranian nuclear bomb.
Weighing a whopping 13 tons, the GBU-57 has the ability to bore through dozens of meters of earth before detonating. Unlike many other weapons that explode upon impact, this bad boy burrows first, and then blows up when it reaches its target deep underground.
So, why's it so special?
Even though Israel managed to cripple the Iranian military command and many surface facilities within five days, some questions still linger about the effectiveness of their attacks on the core of the Iranian nuclear program, says Behnam Ben Taleblu, an expert from the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies. All eyes are on Fordo.
Located south of Tehran, the uranium enrichment plant at Fordo lies around a hundred meters underground and out of reach of Israeli bombs. "Only the USA has the conventional capability" to destroy such a facility, emphasizes Mark Schwartz, a US general and expert at the RAND Corporation think tank. He means the GBU-57.
Here are some other factors that make the GBU-57 unique:
- It can penetrate up to 61 meters deep into rock and concrete.
- Its thick shell of hardened steel allows it to push through rock layers.
- Its fuze detects voids and detonates when it enters the bunker.
Development of this bomb began in the early 2000s, with 20 units ordered from Boeing in 2009.
How does it get dropped?
Only US B-2 stealth bombers are capable of deploying this beast. Some of these aircraft were stationed at the US military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in early May. But they weren't there in mid-June, according to satellite imagery analysis from PlanetLabs.
With their long range, the B-2 bombers can fly from the USA to the Middle East to drop the GBU-57. Each aircraft can carry two of these bombs.
If the decision has been made to use them, "they won't just drop a single (bomb) and then 'job done'," says Schwartz. "They will deploy multiple ones to ensure a 100 percent hit probability." Israel's air superiority over Iran "reduces the risks" that B-2 bombers could face, adds the retired general.
What would be the consequences?
Such an intervention would come at a "high political cost" for the USA, says Behnam Ben Taleblu. He stresses that the GBU-57 is not the only solution to permanently halt Iran's nuclear program - besides diplomacy.
How could Israel attack underground facilities without it?
According to Taleblu, Israel could attack underground facilities by attempting to hit the entrances, knocking as much as they can, and cutting off power. This seems to have been the case at the nuclear facility in Natanz.
Sources: ntv.de, als/AFP
- Israel
- Israel Conflict
- Iran
- Iranian Nuclear Program
- USA
- Donald Trump
The Commission, in light of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and the threat of Iran's nuclear program, 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, given the potential use of weapons like the GBU-57, and the subsequent aftermath of such conflicts.
The ongoing political tensions and the looming threat of war-and-conflicts, as seen in the Israel-Iran conflict, have also raised concerns about the general news and their impact on global security, especially considering the strategic advantages the GBU-57 offers in challenging circumstances.
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