Latest news with #GBU-57
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump considers tactical nuclear bomb on Iran's Fordow site — reports claim even bunker busters won't work
US president Donald Trump has indicated that the US would launch an attack on Iran's heavily fortified Fordow nuclear site only if the US military's most powerful conventional weapon, the 30,000-pound GBU-57 "bunker buster", has the capability to destroy the facility, as per a report. Donald Trump Weighs Strike on Iran He still has not authorised strikes on the critical uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, as he awaits the possibility that the threat of US involvement would lead Iran to talks, and Trump is also doubtful whether dropping the GBU-57s would actually eliminate the site, according to The Guardian. ALSO READ: Five ways Iran can retaliate if U.S strikes the Islamic Republic by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo Pentagon Doubts GBU-57 Can Finish the Nuclear Site Two defense officials told The Guardian that discussions about the effectiveness of GBU-57s have been a key topic at the Pentagon since the start of Trump's second term, as per the report. The officials have highlighted that conventional bombs, even as part of a wider strike package of several GBU-57s, would not penetrate deep enough underground and that they would only do enough damage to collapse tunnels and bury them under rubble, reported The Guardian. The assessments made by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) found that to entirely destroy Fordow, which Israeli intelligence estimated to be 300 ft underground, it would be possible only if the US first softened the ground with conventional bombs and then ultimately dropped a tactical nuclear weapon from a B2 bomber, as per the report. Live Events Two officials explained that the challenge of using the GBU-57 to target Fordow would be because of the location of the facility, which is buried inside a mountain, and also because the bomb has never been used in a comparable situation before, as per the report. Experts Say Bombing Might Only Delay, Not Destroy According to the report, even if the US drops GBU-57s, it would mostly just set back Iran's ability to obtain weapons-grade uranium for up to a few years, but not end the programme entirely, reported The Guardian. An ex-DTRA deputy director, retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner said, 'It would not be a one and done,' adding that Fordow could be quickly rebuilt, quoted The Guardian. He also said, 'It might set the program back six months to a year. It sounds good for TV but it's not real," as quoted in the report. FAQs What is the GBU-57? Nicknamed the 'bunker buster,' it's a 30,000-pound conventional bomb designed to destroy underground military bunkers. Can the GBU-57 destroy Fordow? Probably not completely. Experts say it might collapse some parts, but not penetrate deep enough to fully destroy the facility.
India.com
4 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Iran-Israel war: Can US' GBU-57 bunker buster destroy Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site? Experts make stunning claim, say Trump is unsure of...
Trump is unsure whether the GBU-57 bunker buster can take out Iran's Fordow nuclear site. (File) Iran-Israel war: US President Donald Trump has threatened to join its ally Israel in its war against Iran, demanding an 'unconditional surrender' from Tehran, and even threatening to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. However, beyond the war rhetoric, Trump remains undecided on whether to commit the United States to a war in the Middle East which it may not be able to pull out of for at least 5-10 years, especially since the US President remains skeptical about whether its lethal bunker buster bombs have the capability to destroy Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility. Trump unsure about bunker buster's ability to destroy Fordow site According to defense experts, Donald Trump is unsure whether even the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster, aka the 'mother of all bombs', would be able to destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is basically buried beneath a gigantic mountain, and is protected by multiple units of Russian-made S-300 air defense systems. As per media reports, Trump has told defense officials that the US would be justified in attacking Iran only if the bunker buster bomb is guaranteed to destroy the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow. The US President was told that the gargantuan 30,000lbs (13.6 tonne) GBU-57 bunker buster would destroy the Fordow facility, but Trump remains unconvinced, and as such has not yet given the green light for America to join the Israel-Iran war. Additionally, experts believe that Trump is also looking at the possibility of Iran coming to the table for a 'deal' due to fear of US involvement in the Iran-Israel war. US would need tactical nukes to take out Fordow? The GBU-57, aka the bunker buster bomb, is a 30,000 pound bomb which is dropped using the US' B2 stealth bombers, and while its capable of taking out any other hardened underground facility, the Fordow site is unique as it has been specially built to withstand US' capabilities, particularly its ultra-heavy bunker buster bombs. The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a hardened, ultra-secure nuclear facility built deep beneath a mountain, and surrounded by tall peaks on all sides. The mountainous terrain renders even the most advanced cruise missiles ineffective, and the site is protected by a large number of air defense systems concentrated in a small region, making it almost impossible for any missile or drone to go through. US defense officials believe that only a tactical nuclear weapon would be able to completely destroy the Fordow nuclear facility, but Trump is not in favor of using nukes to attack the site. Quoting people familiar with the matter, The Guardian reported that Israeli intelligence estimates that the Fordow nuclear plant, which is built under a mountain near the Qom city, could be up to 90 meters deep. To reach such a depth, the US would have to have to weaken the ground with conventional bombs and then drop a tactical nuclear bomb from a B2 bomber to wipe out the entire facility. However, Donald Trump, at least for now, is not in favor of using the nuclear option, the report said.
LeMonde
8 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."
New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
What is 'bunker buster'? The US bomb that could reshape Israel-Iran conflict
As Israel's confrontation with Iran escalates, the American-made GBU-57 'bunker buster' bomb has drawn renewed attention as the only weapon capable of striking Iran's deeply buried nuclear sites, raising questions over whether US President Donald Trump will authorise its use as he mulls over military intervention. While Israel has already targeted multiple nuclear-related sites and struck key military positions, Fordo — Iran's heavily fortified underground uranium enrichment plant — remains untouched. Its depth and construction make it nearly impossible to destroy without outside help, raising questions about whether the United States might intervene more directly by deploying its bunker-busting bomb. What is the 'bunker buster'? The 'bunker buster' broadly refers to bombs designed to penetrate deep underground before detonating. In this case, it specifically refers to the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound (13,600 kg) precision-guided bomb designed to destroy deeply buried bunkers and tunnels, according to the US Air Force. Measuring 6.6 metres in length and equipped with a hardened steel casing and specialised delayed-fuse system, the GBU-57 is capable of penetrating up to 200 feet (61 meters) through rock or concrete before exploding — much deeper than standard munitions. 'It's not going to immediately explode under that much shock and pressure,' said Masao Dahlgren, a missile defense fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 'These weapons need to be designed with thick, hardened casings to punch through layers of rock.' The US began designing the bomb in the early 2000s, and Boeing was awarded an order for 20 units in 2009. How is the bomb deployed? The only aircraft capable of deploying the GBU-57 is the US B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, produced by Northrop Grumman. While theoretically any aircraft with sufficient capacity could deliver it, only the B-2 has been configured and tested for the task. With a range of 7,000 miles (11,000 km) without refueling — and over 11,500 miles (18,500 km) with aerial refueling — the B-2 can reach targets worldwide.
9 News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- 9 News
'One weapon, one plane' that can end Iran's nuclear program
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Israel claims that in the last few days it has taken complete control of Iran's airspace, and that it has set back the country's nuclear program immensely with targeted attacks on key sites and people. So why is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still courting a US entry into the conflict ? It comes down to one weapon. The US GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator, or "bunker buster" missile. (CNN) Iran's key nuclear enrichment facility, Fordow, is buried up to 100m below the surface of the ground, rendering it all but impervious to Israeli aerial action. And observers say that while this facility is online, Iran's nuclear program may be set back, but it's not knocked out. "There is only one weapon in the world that can destroy a place like Fordow, and there's only one plane in the world that can carry that weapon," retired US Air Force colonel and CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton said. The bunker buster can only be carried by a B2 bomber. (CNN) That weapon is the "bunker buster" that has been brought up at times during the ongoing turmoil. More properly, it's the GBU-57, a massive ordnance penetrator (MOP). The MOP is a six-metre, 13.6-tonne bomb that can strike a deeply buried target after multiple impacts with "pinpoint accuracy", Leighton said. And the only plane in the world capable of carrying it is the USAF B2 bomber. "Israel doesn't have any of these planes, or any of these bombs, and that's why they want the US to join their aerial campaign against Iran," Leighton said. President Donald Trump has given himself a two-week deadline to decide whether the US will do so. national War Weapons military Iran USA World CONTACT US
