The Massive Ordnance Penetrator Will Be the Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb Ever

[venom]

The Pentagon is trying to speed up the deployment of an ultra-large bunker-busting bomb, which would constitute the largest non-nuclear bomb the U.S. has ever used. The Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, is a 30,000-pound bomb that would dive deeper than any previous bomb, and could be strapped to B-2 or B-52 bombers by July of 2010.

GBU-24: This GBU-24 bunker buster is tiny in comparison to the new MOP
The MOP is 20 feet long and can penetrate bunkers up to 200 feet before exploding. At 15 tons, the MOP is a third heavier than the previous "mother of all bombs", the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, which was only 10.5 tons. The MOP also packs a whopping 5,300 lbs of explosives, which is 10 times the amount its predecessor bunker-buster, the BLU-109, carried. Basically, it's massive.

The push for accelerated deployment is due to the increased perceived nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea. It's believed that many of their nuclear programs could be in development underground, below levels of current bunker-busting bombs' range. The Pentagon intends the rapid deployment to send a message that the United States is tweaking strategies to address new threats. And nothing is more American than advertising the sheer size and tonnage of the bombs hanging below our jets.

The Massive Ordnance Penetrator Will Be the Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb Ever | Popular Science

 

[hit&run]

The Pentagon is trying to speed up the deployment of an ultra-large bunker-busting bomb, which would constitute the largest non-nuclear bomb the U.S. has ever used. The Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, is a 30,000-pound bomb that would dive deeper than any previous bomb, and could be strapped to B-2 or B-52 bombers by July of 2010.

GBU-24: This GBU-24 bunker buster is tiny in comparison to the new MOP
The MOP is 20 feet long and can penetrate bunkers up to 200 feet before exploding. At 15 tons, the MOP is a third heavier than the previous "mother of all bombs", the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, which was only 10.5 tons. The MOP also packs a whopping 5,300 lbs of explosives, which is 10 times the amount its predecessor bunker-buster, the BLU-109, carried. Basically, it's massive.

The push for accelerated deployment is due to the increased perceived nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea. It's believed that many of their nuclear programs could be in development underground, below levels of current bunker-busting bombs' range. The Pentagon intends the rapid deployment to send a message that the United States is tweaking strategies to address new threats. And nothing is more American than advertising the sheer size and tonnage of the bombs hanging below our jets.

The Massive Ordnance Penetrator Will Be the Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb Ever | Popular Science

That is a good move. Even Indians can learn from this as Pakistan's second strike capability relies on deep seated BM launch Pads.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Pentagon Calls For 'urgent' Upgrade Of Massive Bunker-busting Bombs, As Iranian Threat Looms | Fox News

 

[spikey360]

That is a good move. Even Indians can learn from this as Pakistan's second strike capability relies on deep seated BM launch Pads.

Can you back that up with some sources, kindly.

 

[spikey360]

Innovation has always been the keyword in any and every American war strategy. Especially technological innovations. It is good to see that they are stepping up their efforts on building even more powerful non-nuclear bombs. A few year ago, Russia had tested what they called Father of all Bombs FOAB which was possibly more powerful than the American MOAB. If US comes up with something better than that, I think that some exciting times are in store for us.
Maybe this will spark a non-nuclear biggest bomb race. (Which is great!)

 

[sesha_maruthi27]

Think they are designing this by keeping IRAN in their mind and as soon as this bomb is operational the ISRAELIS will attack IRAN.