Posted on 07/04/2015 2:37:22 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
As diplomats rush to reach an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program, the U.S. military is stockpiling conventional bombs so powerful that strategists say they could cripple Tehran's most heavily fortified nuclear complexes, including one deep underground.
The bunker-busting bombs are America's most destructive munitions short of atomic weapons. At 15 tons, each is 5 tons heavier than any other bomb in the U.S. arsenal.
In development for more than a decade, the latest iteration of the MOP — massive ordnance penetrator — was successfully tested on a deeply buried target this year at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The test followed upgrades to the bomb's guidance system and electronics to stop jammers from sending it off course.
U.S. officials say the huge bombs, which have never been used in combat, are a crucial element in the White House deterrent strategy and contingency planning should diplomacy go awry and Iran seek to develop a nuclear bomb.
Obama has made it clear that he has no desire to order an attack, warning that U.S. airstrikes on Iran's air defense network and nuclear facilities would spark a destabilizing new war in the Middle East, and would only delay Iran by several years should it choose to build a bomb.
"A military solution will not fix it," Obama told Israeli TV on June 1. An attack "would temporarily slow down an Iranian nuclear program, but it will not eliminate it."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I live under the departure/arrival corridors of DFW and see flights march in/out along the same track. With NextGen, that will no longer be the case. . .time to share the pleasure of jet noise with everyone. . ha.
Yes, arms and our open borders are real security, and lethal, risks to the great nation. We certainly need to close the border. Can't be completely sealed of course, no border can, but it can be effective. Cheers, my FRiend.
Theoretically C-130s, which Israel has, can drop these too by opening the back ramp and pushing them out.
But a C-130 would be a sitting duck for Irans air defenses. As would a B-52.
The only realistic option for using these against Iran are the B-2s.
To add, the reason why the B-52 was cleared first is because the weapons testing unit has one.
The B-2 that was dedicated to weapons testing, Spirit of New York, was retuned to the 509th after that other B-2 crashed on Guam, bringing the force back up to combat ready strength (yes, there are that few of them) So for something like MOPs all the preliminary testing is done on other platforms (like B-52s) while the B-2 only gets it when ready for platform-specific integration.
A MOAB is a “get close” weapon.
MOP is a precise weapon that needs release cues other than a grease pencil mark on a windscreen.
Right now, the B-52 is the option, with B-2’s coming along.
Strike packages are many aircraft to support a mission, not a single aircraft.
“To add, the reason why the B-52 was cleared first is because the weapons testing unit has one.”
And the B-52 has the size and thrust to carry the weapon.
Time for the grill out back. . .have a great 4th, all!
MOP is GPS guided, with control fins. It can be rolled out the back of any cargo aircraft that can lift it to drop altitude and still score a precision hit.
You have a great Fourth too!
If you are in any fashion practicing “white privilege” look for one (or two) of these bombs to come through your chimney. You deserve it, you racists.
“Bunker busters” to combat Iranian nuclear proliferation?
BAND-AID meet CANCER.
No, you're way off there. We know this is part of the program (the flight path is called SEFR-1) and that the FAA blew off any noise assessment to implement it. The neighborhood has been in an uproar for months. Two Congressional reps and our County supervisors are already involved. The situation is similar in Phoenix.
Nuke tip those things.
>”A military solution will not fix it,” Obama told Israeli TV on June 1. An attack “would temporarily slow down an Iranian nuclear program, but it will not eliminate it.”
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, speaking to reporters Thursday at the Pentagon, sought to downplay the likelihood or the utility of an attack. He said no plan under consideration, including use of the bunker-busters, could deliver a permanent knockout blow to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and enrichment plants.
“A military strike of that kind is a setback, but it doesn’t prevent the reconstitution over time,” he said. “And that basically has been the case as long as we’ve had those instruments and those plans, and I don’t think there’s anything substantially changed since then.”
U.S. officials have publicized the new bomb partly to rattle the Iranians. Some Pentagon officials warned not to underestimate U.S. military capabilities even if the bunker-busters can’t eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.<
Where do you start with this insanity?
First, why are you stock piling bunker busters if you’re telling the world you’re not going to use them?
Second, why are you telling the world we are stock piling bunker busters?
Third, how could you POSSIBLY say that using these bombs on Iran wouldn’t stop them from making a nuke it would only delay? What kind of lunatics are running the Pentagon? You drop enough of those bombs and there wouldn’t be an Iran left to build car batteries much less nuclear weapons!
And finally, I pray as Abraham did. Those of you who pray please join me. If there be only one righteous in the land will you spare them? I pray this because there is so much wicked in this country. So many people in Washington and media and businesses who have demons who have been put in charge over them, and they are following their master. Pray, Pray, Pray.
[In 1991 we recorded a 10 FOOT CEP with Paveway kits on dumb bombs.]
In both Gulf wars Coalition aircraft used 1,000 and 2,000-pound laser guided “inert bombs” composed of concrete. These were used against air defense targets in heavily populated areas. These bombs could knock out a mobile antiaircraft vehicle without endangering nearby civilians and property. The fact this ordnance was successfully employed attests to the accuracy of modern targeting.
It seems that we have...
Pres. Bush made some available and even Hussein made some available to Israel. At least that is what the media have reported over the years.
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Kinetic energy can be potent stuff!
For reference, look up "Rods from God" -- or see "Shoemaker-Levy 9: Comet's Impact Left Its Mark on Jupiter"
MOP has been under development for a while, still under-going testing and never operational.
The MOP (GBU-57) is not the “bunker buster” (from Gulf War I, that is the GBU-28).
MOP is so much larger. . .and accurate and effective
Interesting. At DFW that will not be the case.
Interesting.
In the same spirit I say I will now flog myself for being such a vile creature and prostrate myself in front of Al Sharpton for forgiveness. . .
When dropping a munition there is the “Ballistic Release Point” (BRP. This point is a finite distance from where a bomb is dropped and free-falls ballistically to the target. That distance can be visualized by thinking of the target as the center of a circle and the BRP distance is the radius.
Now, when it comes to guided free-fall munitions, the BRP does not work. You see, when a guided munition falls and those fins move for guidance that action induces drag and move the munition, corrects its flight path, thereby bleeding off it kinetic energy and the weapon falls short and sometimes (often) bleeds off enough energy the munition lands off-axis and broaches.
Consequently, the release point for a free-fall GUIDED munition is closer to the target, the radius is smaller. This release point is called the “Optimal Release Point” (ORP).
When the free-fall guided munition like the MOP is released, the objective is to impact the target at a specific axis, speed and angle.
Axis because you want the most effective entry-point to be struck, to burrow down at the most effective vector/direction.
Airspeed means kinetic energy. Don't want too much otherwise the casing will fracture upon impact and the blast effect (if it goes off) will be reduced. The reverse is true if dropped with too little energy. The window between the two is narrow and small and you need precise aiming cues and release data and kicking a bomb out the back simply won't work.
Angle of impact is critical when it comes to hitting the target to ensure the penetrating capability is assured and fusing functions properly.
Therefore, as you can see, just kicking it out the back simply does not work.
Cheers.
Bad too. I've sent letters to every conservative committee rep or Senator dealing in counter-terrorism and homeland security. I haven't received a word in reply.
I don't like this situation one bit.
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