Explained With Animation: US Drops Bunker Buster Bombs On Iran Nuke Site
The US on Sunday used the air force's B-2 Spirit Stealth bombers to unleash "bunker buster" bombs on the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant - Iran's most secretive and heavily protected nuclear facility buried beneath a mountain.
Three Iranian nuclear sites were struck in a " very successful attack," President Donald Trump said, adding that the crown jewel of Tehran's nuclear program, Fordow, was gone.
What Are Bunker Busters?
A bunker buster is a broad term used to describe bombs that are designed to penetrate deep underground before detonating.
The US-made Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), officially known as GBU-57 A/B, is the world's most powerful non-nuclear bunker buster.
Weighing around close to 14,000 kg, the MOP was developed to destroy hardened and deeply buried targets, such as underground bunkers and nuclear facilities.
Designed by Boeing, the MOP is built with a high-strength steel alloy casing that can survive deep penetration through rock and reinforced concrete.
It carries a powerful explosive payload of about 2,400 kg, allowing it to destroy deeply buried targets with a delayed-action detonation system. This means it explodes only after it has tunnelled deep into a structure, maximising internal damage.
Equipped with GPS and inertial navigation systems, the MOP is designed for high accuracy. Its guidance system ensures the bomb hits within a few metres of its target, even in difficult combat conditions.
The bomb can reportedly penetrate up to 200 feet (about 60 metres) of reinforced earth or concrete, making it far more powerful than older weapons like the GBU-28 or BLU-109.
On Sunday, the US Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber was used to drop the GBU-57 MOP on the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. Reports said six bunker buster bombs were used on Fordow.
The B-2 is one of America's most advanced strategic weapons platforms, capable of entering sophisticated air defenses and delivering precision strikes against hardened targets such as Iran's buried network of nuclear research facilities.
The extent of damage caused by the GBU-57 MOP on the Fordow site could not be immediately ascertained.
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