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The GBU-57: The U.S. Military’s Bunker-Busting Weapon
A formidable American weapon, the GBU-57 bunker buster, stands as the sole option for effectively obliterating Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. This capability positions it as a potential choice for President Donald Trump should he decide to provide military support to Israel.
The GBU-57, weighing in at 30,000 pounds (13,607 kilograms), can penetrate depths of up to 200 feet (61 meters) before detonation. Surprisingly, despite Israel’s commitment to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, this bomb is absent from their arsenal.
The Need for This Bomb
In just a week, the Israeli military successfully targeted Iranian military leaders and inflicted damage on several surface installations, leading to numerous inquiries regarding the effectiveness of these attacks.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, director of the Iran program at the conservative think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), remarked, “The regime’s stockpiles of missiles, military bases, and even nuclear scientists have suffered significant blows.” However, he noted that questions remain about the overall impact of Israel’s actions on Iran’s nuclear program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no damage to the Fordo uranium enrichment facility located south of Tehran. Unlike other sites such as Natanz and Isfahan, Fordo is buried deep underground, making it secure from Israeli aerial attacks.
“The focus will be on Fordo, which is shielded beneath about 300 feet of rock,” Taleblu added.
Former U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mark Schwartz maintains that only the United States possesses the conventional military capabilities necessary to target such a well-fortified site, specifically referencing the GBU-57.
What Makes the GBU-57 Special?
According to the U.S. military, the GBU-57, also known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, is engineered to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding, navigating through rock and concrete layers. This differs from traditional weapons that generally detonate upon impact or shortly thereafter.
“To neutralize these deeply buried targets, these bombs are constructed with thick casings of hardened steel, designed to break through multiple rock layers,” explained Masao Dahlgren, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The GBU-57 also features a specialized fuse to withstand the immense shock and pressure of its descent.
Design efforts for the GBU-57 began in the early 2000s, culminating in a 2009 order for 20 units from Boeing.
Deployment of the GBU-57
Only the B-2 Bomber, a stealth aircraft, is capable of deploying the GBU-57. Some of these bombers were sent to Diego Garcia, a joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean, in early May and were no longer visible by mid-June based on satellite analyses.
Thanks to their long-range capabilities, B-2s can fly straight from the U.S. to the Middle East for bombing missions. "That’s something we’ve done before," Dahlgren noted. Each B-2 carries two GBU-57s, and Schwartz remarked that multiple bombs would likely be necessary for a successful mission.
“They won’t just drop one bomb and call it a day,” he added. Furthermore, Israel’s established air superiority over Iran mitigates the hazards for B-2 bombers.
Potential Consequences of U.S. Intervention
A U.S. intervention would come with significant political implications, according to Taleblu, who emphasized that the GBU-57 is not the only means of addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Without these specialized bombs, and barring a diplomatic resolution, Israeli forces may resort to attacking the entrances of underground facilities like Fordo by trying to collapse entrances or cutting off electricity, similar to strategies already executed at Natanz.
In summary, while the GBU-57 is a powerful asset for penetrating deeply buried targets, its deployment and the associated political ramifications would require careful consideration.
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