Latest news with #Bronk
LeMonde
12 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
The American GBU-57 bomb is the only weapon capable of reaching Iran's Fordo nuclear site
"This entire operation (...) really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordo." As Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the US, summed it up on Fox News on Friday, June 13, the goal of the attack launched against Iran, to put an end to its nuclear program, will only be achieved with the destruction of the uranium enrichment site, located 150 kilometers South of Tehran. The Israeli military claims to have struck the underground section of Natanz – the other Iranian uranium enrichment hub – which was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), though the extent of the damage was not specified. However, according to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, which said it had informed the IAEA, Fordo, considered the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear program and protected as such, suffered only superficial damage from the strikes. Buried into the side of a mountain beneath 80 to 90 meters of rock and concrete, the site is out of reach of conventional weapons available to Israeli forces, explained Justin Bronk, a defense systems expert and researcher at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a British think tank. The penetrating bombs in Israel's arsenal "might be able to collapse entrance and ventilation passages, only the United States Air Force has a conventional weapon capable of breaching the main facility from the air," he said, referring to the "Massive Ordnance Penetrator GBU-57/B." This precision-guided bomb weighs 13,600 kilograms, including a 2,700-kilogram warhead, and can burrow 60 meters underground before detonating, according to the US Air Force, which will not specify the types of materials it can penetrate. According to Bronk, "at least two weapons dropped sequentially into the same breaching aim point are likely to be required to reach and destroy the main centrifuge facilities at Fordo." The GBU-57 was designed "specifically for Fordo," said Ali Vaez, director of Iran research at the International Crisis Group, recalling that the Pentagon acknowledged in 2012 that the "bunker busters" it then possessed could not reach the site's underground facilities. The new version, presented in 2013 to Israeli political and military officials, according to the Wall Street Journal, was equipped with adjustable fuses to maximize penetration capabilities, more precise guidance systems and devices to evade Iranian air defenses. 'Defensive posture' Several types of heavy American bombers, including the B-52, are capable of carrying the GBU-57, but only the B-2 is authorized to do so. The stealth aircraft, which has a range of 11,000 kilometers, can carry two bombs, according to the US Air Force. "With the aid of aerial refueling [it] could even mount attacks on Fordow and other Iranian hardened targets from their home base in Missouri," noted Bronk. The use of this weapon would therefore require direct US participation in Israeli operations. Donald Trump did not rule this out on Sunday, but it is not currently on the agenda. The White House reiterated on Tuesday that US forces in the region remained in a "defensive posture." However, according to the flight tracking website AirNav Radar, about 30 refueling aircraft left the US on Sunday to land at, among other locations, Ramstein Air Base in Germany, as well as in the United Kingdom, Estonia and Greece. "It is a clear signal of strategic readiness," showing that "the US is positioning itself for rapid escalation," said Eric Schouten, director general of the intelligence firm Dyami Security Intelligence, told Reuters. As for the effectiveness of potentially using one or more GBU-57s, Vaez expressed doubt. American bunker-busting weapons were used in Afghanistan and Yemen, the researcher recalled, but "in both cases, the bomb did not help the US achieve its strategic objectives." Even if the US decided to use them, "it would be difficult for them to destroy the Fordo site," according to Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association. "Even if they manage to do so, the destruction of Fordo "will not put an end to Iran's uranium enrichment program or resolve the risk of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Iran gained valuable knowledge over the past several years about uranium enrichment and it may have stashed centrifuges at an undeclared site," she said. "Strikes may set Iran back, but it is not a long-term solution to preventing a nuclear-armed Iran."
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Israel's one-of-a-kind F-35 stealth jet is flying into a higher level of combat in fights with Iran
Israel's unique F-35I lends a critical capability to its air force and has been involved in strikes on Iran. Actions against Iran are the "most challenging" F-35s have flown, an airpower expert said. The F-35's success is showcasing the jet's capabilities and ability to fight higher-level battles. Israel's unique version of the F-35 stealth fighter is showing the jet's readiness for a higher level of combat in its fights with Iran, a difficult adversary that until recently fielded a challenging arsenal of air defense weapons. Over 200 Israeli fighter jets took part in the opening strikes last Friday, and Israeli Air Force photos from the operation confirm the involvement of the F-35I "Adir." Additional strikes have since followed. The latest attacks, which have targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, military leaders, and critical defensive capabilities, coupled with the attack last year on Iranian defenses mark the most difficult operations the jet has ever flown in, showcasing its strengths and adaptability across weapons and roles in a way previous engagements against non-state actors or nations with far weaker defenses did not. 200 מטוסי קרב, מעל 330 חימושים שונים: תיעודים מפעילות חיל-האוויר במבצע "עם כלביא" — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 Israel's F-35s, along with fourth-generation aircraft like the F-16 and F-15, have been targeting Iran for days, and Israel's military said Monday that the bombing runs had given them air superiority over sections of Iran, including Tehran, its capital. "עם כלביא": תיעודים מרגעי ההמראות והנחיתות של מטוסי הקרב של חיל-האוויר, במבצע לפגיעה בתוכנית הגרעין האיראנית — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 The intense, ongoing Israeli combat operation is aimed at destroying Iran's nuclear program and also severely degrading military capabilities, including its ballistic missile programs and air defenses. Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told Business Insider that the strength of Iranian defenses at the time made the combat operations that Israel conducted last October and the most recent strikes on Iran "the most challenging kinetic campaign that F-35s have flown in." The Israeli military has not discussed specific F-35 actions against Iran, but the jet's capabilities and the nature of the targets suggest the aircraft could be playing a central role. Bronk said that based on the publicly available information from Israeli Air Force officials, every indication is that "the F-35I has been a critical and highly successful leading edge capability in the overall Israeli air campaign at every stage." The jet's involvement isn't necessarily surprising as penetrating contested airspace and suppressing enemy defenses is what the F-35 is designed to do and what Israel bought it for, he said. That said, this moment is an opportunity to showcase the jet's prowess. The jet, Bronk said, "offers a combination of stealth, capability to rapidly detect, identify, and geolocate radar-emitting threats like air defense systems, pass those targets to other aircraft or strike them itself, and conduct electronic warfare attacks to suppress said targets to protect other aircraft and get weapons through to targets." The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a single-engine, multi-role stealth aircraft made by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin and employed by countries around the world. The US military operates three variants of the jet, the A for conventional take-off, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for carrier operations. Most allied and partner nations operate one of the three variants, but Israel flies a unique F-35 variant. Israel's F-35I is its only fifth-generation aircraft. It was the first military to use the F-35 in combat in 2018. It currently operates just under 40 of them but is acquiring more. Israel's specific model is a subvariant of the F-35A the US Air Force flies. What makes the F-35I "Adir" unique is that Israel can modify the mission data and programming of the jets and integrate domestically developed systems, from electronic warfare to data links and cybersecurity, without relying on US-directed software update cycles. Those unique features, which allow the jet to be more tailored to Israeli needs, exclude it from US-provided updates for other F-35 customers. Israeli attacks on Iran have put the jet and the larger Israeli Air Force to the test. In the latest strikes, Israeli fighter jets struck over 100 targets across Iran, including key military sites and the main Iranian uranium enrichment site. The mission is aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. The Israeli Defense Force has said that the Iranian nuclear program has "accelerated significantly" in recent months and called it "clear evidence the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon." Iran has said its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, but enrichment levels and secretive nuclear activity have raised concerns about its intentions. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. American officials have said the US isn't involved in the strikes and warned Iran against retaliating against US forces in the region. The US Navy has warships, including an aircraft carrier and several surface ships, stationed in and around the Middle East, and some of these assets have provided air defense for Israel, helping shield it from retaliatory Iranian missile strikes. The US has been adjusting its force posture in the area recently, but it remains unclear if the US will become more involved or keep its distance from the ongoing fight.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Putin's desperate struggle to replace nuclear-capable bombers lost in Ukraine drone strikes
Western military aviation experts suggest it will take Russia years to replace the nuclear-capable bomber planes damaged in recent Ukrainian drone strikes. These attacks have placed additional strain on Russia's already delayed modernisation programme. Satellite imagery of airfields in Siberia and Russia's far north reveals significant damage, with several aircraft completely destroyed. While reports vary, U.S. officials estimate that up to 20 warplanes were hit, with approximately 10 destroyed. This figure is about half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, accusing commanders of negligence. The strikes - prepared over 18 months in a Ukrainian intelligence operation dubbed "Spider's Web", and conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the bases in trucks - dealt a powerful symbolic blow to a country that, throughout the Ukraine war, has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. In practice, experts said, they will not seriously affect Russia's nuclear strike capability which is largely comprised of ground- and submarine-based missiles. However, the Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers that were hit were part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defence plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets, said Justin Bronk, an aviation expert at the RUSI think tank in London. The same fleet had also been carrying out periodic patrol flights into the Arctic, North Atlantic and northern Pacific as a show of strength to deter Russia's Western adversaries. Bronk said that at the outset of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia was operating a fleet of 50-60 Bear-Hs and around 60 Backfires, alongside around 20 Tu-160M nuclear-capable Blackjack heavy bombers. He estimated that Russia has now lost more than 10% of the combined Bear-H and Backfire fleet, taking into account last weekend's attacks and the loss of several planes earlier in the war - one shot down and the others struck while on the ground. These losses "will put major pressure on a key Russian force that was already operating at maximum capacity," Bronk told Reuters. Russia's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Replacing the planes will be challenging. Both the Bear H and the Backfire are aircraft that were designed in the Soviet era and have been out of production for decades, said Douglas Barrie, aerospace expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, although existing planes have been upgraded over the years. Barrie said that building new ones like-for-like was therefore very unlikely, and it was unclear whether Russia had any useable spare airframes of either type. Western sanctions against Russia have aimed to restrict the import of components such as microprocessors that are vital to avionics systems, although Moscow has so far been comparatively successful at finding alternative sources, Barrie added. Russia has been modernising its Blackjack bomber fleet, and Putin sent a pointed signal to the West last year by taking a 30-minute flight in one such aircraft and pronouncing it ready for service. But production of new Blackjacks is slow - one Russian military blogger this week put it at four per year - and Western experts say progress in developing Russia's next-generation PAK DA bomber has also been moving at a crawl. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said in a report last month that Russia had signed a contract with manufacturer Tupolev in 2013 to build the PAK DA, but cited Russian media reports as saying state test flights are not scheduled until next year, with initial production to begin in 2027. While it would be logical for Russia to try to speed up its PAK DA plans, it may not have the capacity, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the FAS. He said in a telephone interview that Russia is facing delays with a range of other big defence projects including its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. RUSI's Bronk was also sceptical of Moscow's chances of accelerating the timeline for the next-generation bomber. "Russia will struggle to deliver the PAK DA programme at all in the coming five years, let alone accelerate it, due to budgetary shortfalls and materials and technology constraints on industry due to sanctions," he said.
NDTV
06-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Russia Faces Struggle To Replace Bombers Lost In Ukrainian Drone Strikes
London: Russia will take years to replace nuclear-capable bomber planes that were hit in Ukrainian drone strikes last weekend, according to Western military aviation experts, straining a modernization programme that is already delayed. Satellite photos of airfields in Siberia and Russia's far north show extensive damage from the attacks, with several aircraft completely burnt out, although there are conflicting versions of the total number destroyed or damaged. The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit - around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - and around 10 were destroyed, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, accusing commanders of negligence. The strikes - prepared over 18 months in a Ukrainian intelligence operation dubbed "Spider's Web", and conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the bases in trucks - dealt a powerful symbolic blow to a country that, throughout the Ukraine war, has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. In practice, experts said, they will not seriously affect Russia's nuclear strike capability which is largely comprised of ground- and submarine-based missiles. However, the Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers that were hit were part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defense plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets, said Justin Bronk, an aviation expert at the RUSI think tank in London. The same fleet had also been carrying out periodic patrol flights into the Arctic, North Atlantic and northern Pacific as a show of strength to deter Russia's Western adversaries. Bronk said that at the outset of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia was operating a fleet of 50-60 Bear-Hs and around 60 Backfires, alongside around 20 Tu-160M nuclear-capable Blackjack heavy bombers. He estimated that Russia has now lost more than 10% of the combined Bear-H and Backfire fleet, taking into account last weekend's attacks and the loss of several planes earlier in the war - one shot down and the others struck while on the ground. These losses "will put major pressure on a key Russian force that was already operating at maximum capacity," Bronk told Reuters. Russia's defense ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Project Delays Replacing the planes will be challenging. Both the Bear H and the Backfire are aircraft that were designed in the Soviet era and have been out of production for decades, said Douglas Barrie, aerospace expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, although existing planes have been upgraded over the years. Barrie said that building new ones like-for-like was therefore very unlikely, and it was unclear whether Russia had any useable spare airframes of either type. Western sanctions against Russia have aimed to restrict the import of components such as microprocessors that are vital to avionics systems, although Moscow has so far been comparatively successful at finding alternative sources, Barrie added. Russia has been modernizing its Blackjack bomber fleet, and Putin sent a pointed signal to the West last year by taking a 30-minute flight in one such aircraft and pronouncing it ready for service. But production of new Blackjacks is slow - one Russian military blogger this week put it at four per year - and Western experts say progress in developing Russia's next-generation PAK DA bomber has also been moving at a crawl. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said in a report last month that Russia had signed a contract with manufacturer Tupolev in 2013 to build the PAK DA, but cited Russian media reports as saying state test flights are not scheduled until next year, with initial production to begin in 2027. While it would be logical for Russia to try to speed up its PAK DA plans, it may not have the capacity, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the FAS. He said in a telephone interview that Russia is facing delays with a range of other big defense projects including its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. RUSI's Bronk was also skeptical of Moscow's chances of accelerating the timeline for the next-generation bomber. "Russia will struggle to deliver the PAK DA programme at all in the coming five years, let alone accelerate it, due to budgetary shortfalls and materials and technology constraints on industry due to sanctions," he said.
Daily Maverick
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Russia faces struggle to replace bombers lost in Ukrainian drone strikes
By Mark Trevelyan and Tom Balmforth Satellite photos of airfields in Siberia and Russia's far north show extensive damage from the attacks, with several aircraft completely burnt out, although there are conflicting versions of the total number destroyed or damaged. The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit – around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy – and around 10 were destroyed, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, accusing commanders of negligence. The strikes – prepared over 18 months in a Ukrainian intelligence operation dubbed 'Spider's Web', and conducted by drones that were smuggled close to the bases in trucks – dealt a powerful symbolic blow to a country that, throughout the Ukraine war, has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. In practice, experts said, they will not seriously affect Russia's nuclear strike capability which is largely comprised of ground- and submarine-based missiles. However, the Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers that were hit were part of a long-range aviation fleet that Russia has used throughout the war to fire conventional missiles at Ukrainian cities, defence plants, military bases, power infrastructure and other targets, said Justin Bronk, an aviation expert at the RUSI think tank in London. The same fleet had also been carrying out periodic patrol flights into the Arctic, North Atlantic and northern Pacific as a show of strength to deter Russia's Western adversaries. Bronk said that at the outset of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia was operating a fleet of 50-60 Bear-Hs and around 60 Backfires, alongside around 20 Tu-160M nuclear-capable Blackjack heavy bombers. He estimated that Russia has now lost more than 10% of the combined Bear-H and Backfire fleet, taking into account last weekend's attacks and the loss of several planes earlier in the war – one shot down and the others struck while on the ground. These losses 'will put major pressure on a key Russian force that was already operating at maximum capacity,' Bronk told Reuters. Russia's defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. PROJECT DELAYS Replacing the planes will be challenging. Both the Bear H and the Backfire are aircraft that were designed in the Soviet era and have been out of production for decades, said Douglas Barrie, aerospace expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, although existing planes have been upgraded over the years. Barrie said that building new ones like-for-like was therefore very unlikely, and it was unclear whether Russia had any useable spare airframes of either type. Western sanctions against Russia have aimed to restrict the import of components such as microprocessors that are vital to avionics systems, although Moscow has so far been comparatively successful at finding alternative sources, Barrie added. Russia has been modernising its Blackjack bomber fleet, and Putin sent a pointed signal to the West last year by taking a 30-minute flight in one such aircraft and pronouncing it ready for service. But production of new Blackjacks is slow – one Russian military blogger this week put it at four per year – and Western experts say progress in developing Russia's next-generation PAK DA bomber has also been moving at a crawl. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said in a report last month that Russia had signed a contract with manufacturer Tupolev in 2013 to build the PAK DA, but cited Russian media reports as saying state test flights are not scheduled until next year, with initial production to begin in 2027. While it would be logical for Russia to try to speed up its PAK DA plans, it may not have the capacity, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the FAS. He said in a telephone interview that Russia is facing delays with a range of other big defence projects including its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. RUSI's Bronk was also sceptical of Moscow's chances of accelerating the timeline for the next-generation bomber. 'Russia will struggle to deliver the PAK DA programme at all in the coming five years, let alone accelerate it, due to budgetary shortfalls and materials and technology constraints on industry due to sanctions,' he said.
