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Posted on 07/26/2007 6:52:46 PM PDT by kddid
The U.S. is retrofitting its B-2 Stealth bombers with massive bunker-buster bombs -- a move that could be a prelude to an attack on Iran and its nuclear facilities.
Iran has refused to comply with international demands that it stop its nuclear weapons programs.
Experts have noted that a U.S. or Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear program could be difficult due to the large number of installations -- some of which are buried deep underground in hardened bunkers.
In a recent NewsMax Magazine, Kenneth R. Timmerman's report "The Coming War with Iran: 6 Days of Hell" predicted the U.S. would outfit B-2's as a prelude to an attack on Iran. [Editor's Note: Get this special report "The Coming War with Iran: 6 Days of Hell" with our FREE offer -- Go Here Now]
Apparently the U.S. has big plans for Iran.
Northrop Grumman announced last week in a little noticed release that the company had begun integrating on the B-2's a new 30,000-pound-class "penetrator bomb" or bunker buster.
"The U.S. Air Force's B-2 Stealth bomber would be able to attack and destroy an expanded set of hardened, deeply buried military targets" using the monster bunker buster, the company said in its release.
The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million contract awarded June 1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor on the B-2, the flagship of the nation's long-range strike arsenal.
The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by the Boeing Co., is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300 pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot-long enclosure of hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations.
The B-2 is capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.
"This integration contract is part of Northrop Grumman's on-going effort to ensure that the B-2 remains capable of delivering a decisive blow to an increasingly sophisticated enemy," said Dave Mazur, vice president of long-range strike for the company's Integrated Systems sector.
"It is the first step in helping the Air Force make this new weapon available for operational use on the B-2."
According to Mazur, the Air Force is expected to make a decision later this year on whether to develop a limited operational capability for the MOP, or to proceed with a more comprehensive development program that would optimize the weapon's operational utility.
The current contract will focus on adapting the B-2's weapon bay fixtures to accommodate the new weapon.
The B-2 is currently equipped to carry up to 40,000 pounds of conventional ordnance.
Shhhhh.... don’t tell anyone.
Hey Newsmax - STFU
LLS
Old news, Frances.
Pingo Bing.
U.S. Outfitting B-2’s with Monster Bunker Buster Bombs — Iran May Be Target
Activity...now we get to wonder if they will ever serve a purpose other than quasi-diplomatic.
Hardstarboard/Mercer
Order now and receive a FREE set of Ginsu Knives!!!
Operators are standing by.
Oh, like Iran will acually be able to DO anything about it?;)
At any rate, yeah I'm pretty sure Iran is going to be the recipient. Thank you Captain Obvious.
There’s the pesky problem of the fallout cloud. Much better to have no fallout.
I don’t want us to occupy Iran. Hell, let’s just bomb it and let the UN play with it. It can be their problem, give them something to do.
“If we hit Iran it is just going to do wonders for my crappy, dim induced, pi$$ed off attitude.”
Yep. My cynical, Ambrose Bierce induced reaction is to think that the attack will happen within six months of the 11/08 elections.
I think the net effect would be to completely energize the hawks, and to demoralize the doves. The most recent polls I saw indicated over 50% of Americans favored strikes on Iran.
Overcoming shyness to say NewsMax is a wad of cheese.
A lot more rubble, a lot less trouble.
NewsMax! Pffft!
With GPS, can we launch somthing from Kansas that will do the same thing?
Think we can take out an oilfield or two, removing the mad mullahs money tree?
No Blood For OIl No Blood for Oil No Blood for Oil
Just practicing!
“With GPS, can we launch somthing from Kansas that will do the same thing?”
Well, from Missouri.
It’s called a B-2. lol
We owned them on September 11th too, but I understand your point.
They would have to move the orphanages already there.
Iran wants nukes? Our B-2s deliver nukes in 24 hours or they’re free.
Relax, this is run of the mill saber rattling.
The Iranians release a statement this week stating they will have a nuclear program forever., we leak the news of a huge fleet of bunker busters. The dweebs in suits continue talking in the background.
We have only been waiting for 28 years. Some of us have given up hope for our national security and honor to be restored.
If not ours before, theirs after.
“Iran wants nukes? Our B-2s deliver nukes in 24 hours or they’re free.”
For nuke delivery (discounting deep penetration requirements which will take the B-2 or B-52 for now) it’s hard to beat the boomers or the boomers that’ve been converted to carry 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles (which of course can be nuclear tipped). Much, much less than 24 hours required. ;-)
Schools would make an excellent aim point! Miss the school by 5 meters. At 30,000 pounds, these things would penetrate so far before exploding that the school marm’s burqua probably wouldn’t even flap!
The only thing necessary is to target all the entrance and exits (including buildings) with tiny 10,000-pound bombs.
All of these are easily spotted from satellite photography during construction.
Just saying.
Well, the klintoon proved that they work pretty well, and they saw a brief stint at the beginning of GW-II, but I seem to remember this retrofit from some time ago.
"...The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million contract awarded June 1..."
We've got at least 20 of these beautiful birds, and $2.5 mil would be about enough money to loosen the screws on one of them.
I doubt that we need 7 months. Sounds like we're already good-to-go! Let's hope it's soon .................... FRegards
It was a joke.
Oh man I gotta go to DEBKA and confirm this!
"Tiny" 10,000-pound bombs?
Fer cryin' out loud, the bunker busters in the article only carry 5,300-lbs of explosive.
To late, this is about the fifth thread on this in the past few days.
We don't have any and never did.
b.s.
there’s no consensus for bombing iran.
hillary, kerry, kennedy et. al. were on board for iraq.
bombing iran — the country would come unglued.
bush would be impeached the next day.
Now that's harsh!
It's a big 'un for sure and for certain.
A This thing is probably about the size a modern 100 MT nuke would be, if we had any.
Actually many 10 or 100 KT nukes would be better. If they too were hardened bunker busters.
we should have bombed Iran years ago. If not for the nuke program, for sending bombs into Iraq. See how much they interfere in Iraq when they are in bomb shelters. About to believe it will never happen.
This will be launched from Missouri. Close enough. And it will use GPS to both get it near the target, and finally to get it *on* the target. It's just that the carrier vehicle will be manned, by two Air Force officers who really don't mind the long ride, really they don't. :)
Uh, duh, Tora Bora?
Garmin is headquartered here in Kansas. Good GPS. I think that you will find silos a bit further north somewhere in the sugar beet fields. If they are here in Kansas there is no need to go talking about them.
“It was a joke.”
Joking about nukes again?!? heh
“No fighting in the war room!”
30,000 lb bomb. I guess they can say it blowed up good, it blowed up real good.
80 lb max at Ft. Hood or range control would shut you down.
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