Posted on 08/17/2009 8:29:35 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Amid continuing tension over political upheaval in Iran, the U.S. Defense Department says it wants to accelerate production of a 30,000-pound "ultra-large bunker-buster" bomb designed to destroy deeply buried installations. The Pentagon has requested Congress to provide the necessary funding to ensure that the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a next-generation bomb known as MOP and built by Boeing, would be ready by July 2010, spokesman Bryan Whitman said on Aug. 3.
The non-nuclear weapon will be the biggest conventional bomb the United States has ever deployed. It carries 5,300 pounds of high explosive inside a 25.5-foot bomb casing of hardened steel and would be delivered by the radar-evading Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bomber. The B-2 can carry two of the bombs.
The GPS-guided MOP is believed to be capable of blasting through 200 feet of reinforced concrete before exploding. It is seen as a potential weapon against nuclear facilities in Iran and North Korea.
It has 10 times the explosive power of its predecessor, the 2,000-pound BLU-109, which carries 535 pounds of explosive.
The MOP is about one-third heavier than the 21,000-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, known as the "mother of all bombs," that was dropped twice in tests at a Florida range in 2003.
Whitman declined to comment on whether the accelerated production schedule was linked to either of those countries' nuclear programs.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
Just Nuke ‘em
before
they
NuKe
U.S.
200ft of reinforced concrete!? Amazing.
I think this means “size matters”
parsy, who bets some will be dropped in Afghanistan
THEY WILL DO **NOTHING** WITH IT.
The more I see these hyper-ventilative stories less credence I accord them...
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We need to get these to Israel, ASAP.
I think that is on reason why the Pentagon is fast tracking them
Most of our nukes won't do that outside a very direct hit...and none of the tactical nukes will at all.
It's a game changer.
That is one reason. The other reason is Israel. There is war clouds in the horizon with Iran
YABP, YABP, YABP
Yet Another Bush Policy
Get it.
Not Really.The United States still has a B61-11 nuclear ‘bunker buster’ in our arsenal which has a 400 kiloton yield
Hmm...that looks like the ones we used to load on our planes...:)
I remember seeing one for the first time and thinking...”Hey...that looks like it was designed by a 1950’s rocket ship designer!”
See the word: MOST
Still, point taken.
It would take a very large air-burst nuke to penetrate 200ft of reinforced concrete at ground level.
However, by taking away the geo-political and military dynamics of nukes use, this new weapon is truly a GAME CHANGER.
Most underground installations, built at the cost of $billions, are now at risk without nukes...and that's a big deal. Even if Obama doesn't use them, the next president could.
However, don't be surprised if the dim congress denies the Pentagon request.
I agree. This changes the dynamics.
Maybe Soros, Obamassiah and Rahm are pissed, ready and wanna get started on that flag@turn-your-mob-neighbor-in.com list they've compiled so far......
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