Pentagon Seeks Mightier Bomb vs. Iran

Wall Street Journal ^

[Sub-Driver]

Pentagon Seeks Mightier Bomb vs. Iran By ADAM ENTOUS And JULIAN E. BARNES

WASHINGTON—Pentagon war planners have concluded that their largest conventional bomb isn't yet capable of destroying Iran's most heavily fortified underground facilities, and are stepping up efforts to make it more powerful, according to U.S. officials briefed on the plan.

The 30,000-pound "bunker-buster" bomb, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, was specifically designed to take out the hardened fortifications built by Iran and North Korea to cloak their nuclear programs.

But initial tests indicated that the bomb, as currently configured, wouldn't be capable of destroying some of Iran's facilities, either because of their depth or because Tehran has added new fortifications to protect them.

Doubts about the MOP's effectiveness prompted the Pentagon this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb's ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding, the officials said.

The push to boost the power of the MOP is part of stepped-up contingency planning for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear program, say U.S. officials.

The Defense Department has spent about $330 million so far to develop about 20 of the bombs, which are built by Boeing Co. The Pentagon is seeking about $82 million more to make the bomb more effective, according to government officials briefed on the plan.

[gandalftb]

They are as self-contained and wireless as a submarine. All hardwire utilities use Faraday Cage type shielding.

The Iranians have put their best minds on it. Our only real option is economic warfare, which is becoming very effective.

They reduced the value of the rial by 8% yesterday.

So many Iranians are converting their savings to dollars that the Iranian government made the ownership of dollars illegal last week.

The Iranian government mandates banks to pay savings accounts a 21% interest rate in order to get Iranians to stop hoarding rials.

[donmeaker]

“Nuke it from orbit. Its the only way to be sure.” (Aliens)

[donmeaker]

People go in and out. That means doors. People breath. That means air vents. Glass over the air vents, and they rely on compressed air of dubious quantity.

Rule of thumb. People die from
1. Three minutes without air
2. Three days without water
3. Three weeks without food

I would support sanctions aimed at the top of that short list.

[donmeaker]

I like the WWII Disney bombs developed by the Brits, but used by the US.

Then we can develop the “Victory Through Airpower” Earthquake Bombs.

[familyop]

"The next step would have to be the EPNM, the Earth Penetrating Nuclear Munition, dropped in series to eat their way down to the facility."

Or a cratering device with a larger yield as per some of the old tests but with penetrators. My dad was at one test while in the Army (detonation in the air), and many of us grew up just fine after so many tests just to the west of us. ...still alive, healthy here, and no spring chicken.

Only the current ruling class of bipartisan born regulators stands in the way, with their allegiance to foreign adversaries and low freight fuel prices for their imports.