Could The US Use GBU-57 Bunker Buster On Iran's Nuclear Facility? What Makes This Bomb Unique
As tensions rise between Israel and Iran over Tehran's suspected nuclear ambitions, attention has shifted to one of the most powerful weapons in the American arsenal — the GBU-57A/B 'bunker buster" bomb. Developed to destroy deeply buried and heavily fortified targets, this precision-guided weapon may be the only conventional option capable of neutralising Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, hidden under a mountain near Qom.
Israel does not possess the GBU‑57 or the B‑2 Spirit stealth bomber required to deliver it. For this reason, some observers argue that the US could be drawn into the conflict, should a strike on a hardened site like Fordow be deemed necessary. Yet, using this weapon would represent a major shift — not just militarily, but diplomatically and regionally — signalling that the conflict has entered a far more dangerous phase.
The GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, is the most advanced bunker buster bomb ever built. While the term 'bunker buster" broadly refers to any munition designed to penetrate hardened targets, the GBU-57 stands apart for its sheer size, power, and specificity.
Weighing nearly 30,000 pounds and stretching over 20 feet in length, the bomb is engineered to breach deep earth or reinforced concrete before detonation. It carries more than 5,000 pounds of high explosives and can penetrate up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of concrete, a depth unmatched by any conventional bomb.
Its casing, made from a specialised high-strength steel alloy, is built to survive immense pressure upon impact. Its guidance system, enabled by GPS-aided inertial navigation, ensures accuracy against fortified underground bunkers, including those surrounded by mountainous terrain.
At the centre of the current speculation is Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, located near the city of Qom. The facility is believed to be buried deep within a mountain and is reportedly engineered to withstand conventional airstrikes. While Israeli officials claim that Fordow is being used to enrich uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade, Tehran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapons programme.
Fordow's heavily fortified location makes it nearly impervious to standard munitions. Military analysts believe that only a precision-guided, deep-penetration weapon like the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator could realistically damage the site without resorting to nuclear force.
In an interview with ABC News, retired US Marine Corps Colonel and defence analyst Steve Ganyard said the bomb was designed for exactly such scenarios: 'You make sure you save them for places like Iran and North Korea because you don't need something that goes that deep [in normal circumstances]," he noted. That is why it has come back into global focus amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.
Could The US Use GBU-57 In A Strike Against Iran?
Currently, only the United States possesses both the GBU-57 and the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the only aircraft capable of carrying the bomb. While Israel has the military expertise and aerial capabilities to conduct precision strikes, it lacks both this specific munition and the required delivery platform.
The B-2 stealth bomber, based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, US, has been tested carrying two GBU-57 bombs, which together make up a 60,000-pound payload. A hypothetical mission to Iran would take around 15 hours, depending on the flight path and aerial refuelling logistics.
That said, authorising a US strike on Iranian soil would represent a serious escalation, likely drawing Washington directly into a wider regional conflict. US President Donald Trump has voiced support for Israel's operations and warned Iran repeatedly, but he has not publicly committed to using the GBU-57.
Has The GBU-57 Ever Been Used In Combat?
Despite its development starting in 2004 and successful tests in later years, the GBU-57 has never been used in an actual combat mission. According to Steve Ganyard, the bomb is not intended for large-scale destruction. 'It wouldn't be a massive blast," he said. 'It would penetrate the ground and shoot up some debris, but it won't be a massive cloud."
The weapon was built for strategic deterrence, not everyday battlefield use. That's also why its stockpile is believed to be relatively small — at least 20 were delivered by Boeing by 2015, though the current number remains classified.
What Would Be The Consequences Of Striking A Nuclear Facility Like Fordow?
Striking a nuclear facility, whether operational or inactive, entails significant risks, not just to military stability but to civilian safety, environmental integrity, and global non-proliferation norms. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has explicitly warned against such actions. In a statement issued on June 13, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said, 'Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security."
While Grossi did not refer to any specific site, his remarks followed reports of military activity targeting nuclear-related infrastructure.
Though the current status of uranium enrichment at Iran's Fordow facility is disputed—Iran denies pursuing a nuclear weapon—analysts note that the site is designed to house advanced centrifuges and operate in highly fortified conditions. A strike using the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator could potentially disrupt sensitive systems.
According to a 2021 report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, damage to such facilities carries risks of localised radioactive contamination, particularly if enriched material is present and containment structures are compromised. Experts also warn of potential Iranian retaliation, whether against American interests in the region, Israeli territory, or commercial shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
Is The GBU-57 A Tactical Weapon Or Political Signal?
While the GBU-57 is a military asset, it also serves as a strategic message. It is, in essence, a demonstration of what the US can do without crossing into nuclear warfare. Its mere existence raises the bar for any adversary trying to shield sensitive infrastructure.
But with that power comes consequence. The use of a MOP against a nation like Iran, particularly on a nuclear site, would mark a dangerous precedent. It could encourage other countries to build even deeper and more secure underground bunkers, triggering a new kind of arms race not in missiles, but in mountains.
There's also a diplomatic cost. The Trump administration, like its predecessors, has walked a fine line — supporting Israel while calling for restraint and de-escalation. A strike using the GBU-57 would almost certainly draw condemnation from Tehran and its allies, and could derail fragile backchannel negotiations over Iran's nuclear future.
What Comes Next?
top videos
View all
As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear whether the GBU-57 could come into play, but given the nature of the target and the limits of conventional weapons, the possibility cannot be entirely ruled out. While military experts agree that it is the only conventional bomb capable of reaching Fordow, the choice to use it would hinge on more than just engineering. It would reflect a momentous policy shift and raise the stakes in an already volatile region.
Until that line is crossed, the MOP remains both a powerful tool and a geopolitical wildcard, one whose presence alone has changed the contours of modern deterrence.
About the Author
News Desk
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...Read More
Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!
tags :
Iran nuclear facility Israel-Iran tensions
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 18, 2025, 09:49 IST
News explainers Could The US Use GBU-57 Bunker Buster On Iran's Nuclear Facility? What Makes This Bomb Unique
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Was the US First Lady's 'peace letter' to Putin in Alaska written by AI?
During the Alaska summit, Donald Trump hand-delivered a 'peace letter' from Melania Trump to Putin, which urged the Russian President to 'singlehandedly restore' the 'melodic laughter' of Ukrainian children living through years of war. However, many say the letter is 'vague' and 'says a whole lot of nothing', sparking doubts about whether the US first lady actually penned it While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked First lady Melania Trump for highlighting the plight of children in her 'peace letter' to Putin, many online users question if it was penned using AI. File image/ Reuters When Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the summit grabbed global headlines. But it wasn't just about the talks. During the meeting, Trump hand-delivered a 'peace letter' from First Lady Melania Trump, asking the Russian leader to 'singlehandedly restore' the 'melodic laughter' of Ukrainian children living through more than three years of war. The letter instantly drew attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly thanked Melania for highlighting the plight of children. But as the copy of the letter circulated online, many called it 'vague' and raised questions about whether it was truly penned by the First Lady herself, or was it generated using artificial intelligence? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's a closer look. What did Melania's letter say? According to Fox News, soon after Donald Trump handed over the letter at the Alaska summit, Vladimir Putin chose to read it aloud in front of both the American and Russian delegations. 'Dear President Putin,' it began. 'Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation's rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.' The First Lady went on to frame the role of parents and leaders in safeguarding those dreams. 'As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation's hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few,' she wrote. 'Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all — so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded. A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation's descendants begin their lives with a purity — an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.' 'In today's world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them — a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future.' She then placed the responsibility directly on Putin. 'Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter. In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself.' 'Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today. It is time,' it concluded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Did Melania write the letter using AI? Soon after Melania Trump shared the 'peace letter' on her official Instagram, online users began speculating whether it had actually been written by artificial intelligence. While there has been no official comment from the White House yet, critics pointed out that the letter was vague about which 'children' it referred to, or what exactly she wanted Putin to do. While the message seemed to gesture at Ukrainian children, it never directly mentioned the suffering they've endured since Russia's invasion in February 2022, wrote the American nonprofit magazine Mother Jones. Democratic strategist Keith Edwards was also blunt in his reaction. Posting on X, he wrote that the letter 'says a whole lot of nothing,' adding that it 'may have been written by AI.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This letter to Putin from Melania: 1. Says a whole lot of nothing. 2. May have been written by AI. — Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) August 16, 2025 Others took it a step further. One account even asked Grok, X's AI chatbot, to weigh in on the letter. The bot responded that the message was 'likely 85 per cent AI-drafted, with minor human edits for tone.' @grok based on the text in this letter and what you know about the output of LLMs, please analyze how much of this letter was written by AI? — Jim Stewartson, Antifascist 🇨🇦🇺🇦🏴☠️🇺🇸 (@jimstewartson) August 17, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy thanks Melania for 'sincere attention' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post to social media that Zelenskyy had 'conveyed his gratitude' to Trump during a conversation on Saturday following the summit for the first lady's 'sincere attention and efforts to bring forcibly deported Ukrainian kids back.' Kyiv has long accused Moscow of abducting thousands of children during the war and relocating them to Russia or occupied territories – calling it a war crime. A UN report said that at least 200 children were transferred in the first year of the invasion, while independent estimates put the number far higher: Yale researchers suggested more than 35,000, and Ukraine's rights commissioner claimed over 19,500 – with only about 1,000 returned so far. Kyiv has long accused Moscow of abducting thousands of children during the war and relocating them to Russia or occupied territories – calling it a war crime. File image/Reuters In 2023, the International Criminal Court even issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Russia's children's commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, over the deportations. Yet none of this appeared in Melania's so-called 'peace letter.' Instead, it struck a vague tone with many, despite Trump himself telling reporters last month that his wife has been deeply unsettled by the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I go home, tell the First Lady, 'I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation.' She says, 'Oh really? Another city was just hit,'' the President told reporters in the Oval Office. With input from agencies
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
South Korea, US launch annual military drills against North Korean threats
South Korea and the United States began their annual large-scale joint military exercise on Monday to better cope with threats by nuclear-armed North Korea, which has warned the drills would deepen regional tensions and vowed to respond to any provocation against its territory. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, the second of two large-scale exercises held annually in South Korea, after another set in March, will involve 21,000 soldiers, including 18,000 South Koreans, in computer-simulated command post operations and field training. The drills, which the allies describe as defensive, could trigger a response from North Korea, which has long portrayed the allies' exercises as invasion rehearsals and has often used them as a pretext for military demonstrations and weapons tests aimed at advancing its nuclear programme. In a statement last week, North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang Chol said the drills show the allies' stance of military confrontation with the North and declared that its forces would be ready to counteract any provocation going beyond the boundary line. Ulchi Freedom Shield comes at a pivotal moment for South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who is preparing for an August 25 summit with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump has raised concerns in Seoul that he may upend the decades-old alliance by demanding higher payments for the American troop presence in South Korea and possibly reducing it as Washington shifts its focus more toward China. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high as North Korea has brushed aside Lee's calls to resume diplomacy with its war-divided rival, with relations having soured in recent years as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accelerated his weapons programme and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Seoul's previous conservative government responded to North Korean threats by expanding military exercises with the United States and seeking stronger US assurances for nuclear deterrence, drawing an angry reaction from Kim, who last year renounced long-term reconciliation goals and rewrote the North's constitution to label the South a permanent enemy. In his latest message to Pyongyang on Friday, Lee, who took office in June, said he would seek to restore a 2018-inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions and called for North Korea to respond to the South's efforts to rebuild trust and revive talks. The 2018 military agreement, reached during a brief period of diplomacy between South Korea's former liberal President Moon Jae-in and Kim, created buffer zones on land and sea and no-fly zones above the border to prevent clashes. But South Korea suspended the deal in 2024, citing tensions over North Korea's launches of trash-laden balloons toward the South, and moved to resume frontline military activities and propaganda campaigns. The step came after North Korea had already declared it would no longer abide by the agreement. When asked whether the Lee government's steps to restore the agreement would affect the allies' drills, the South's Defence Ministry said Monday that there are no immediate plans to suspend live-fire training near the Koreas' disputed maritime border. While the allies have postponed half of Ulchi Freedom Shield's originally planned 44 field training programmes to September, US military officials denied South Korean media speculation that the scaled-back drills were meant to make room for diplomacy with the North, citing heat concerns and flood damage to some training fields. Dating back to his first term, Trump has regularly called for South Korea to pay more for the 28,500 American troops stationed on its soil. Public comments by senior Trump administration officials, including Undersecretary of Defence Elbridge Colby, have suggested a push to restructure the alliance, which some experts say could potentially affect the size and role of US forces in South Korea. Under this approach, South Korea would take a greater role in countering North Korean threats while US forces focus more on China, possibly leaving Seoul to face reduced benefits but increased costs and risks, experts say. In a recent meeting with reporters, Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, stressed the need to modernize the alliance to address the evolving security environment, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions, its deepening alignment with Russia, and what he called Chinese threats to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
Trade partners grow restless waiting for Trump's tariff breaks
Agencies Frustration and economic losses like those in the UK are growing in Japan, the European Union and South Korea. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared at a Jaguar Land Rover factory in May that his world-leading trade deal with President Donald Trump included a cut in US tariffs on British steel to than three months later, steel lobbyist Peter Brennan was still waiting for that relief to become reality. Brennan, director of trade and economic policy at industry body UK Steel, said most members had seen US orders fall because of the uncertainty over America's 25% import tax. One producer that makes particularly price-competitive products said they'd be out of business by year-end if tariffs aren't reduced to zero, he added.'Concern is growing that finalizing the deal on steel has fallen down the priority list both for the UK and US governments,' Brennan said last week. 'The will to close the deal may well be faltering on both sides.'Frustration and economic losses like those in the UK are growing in Japan, the European Union and South Korea. Those three made similar announcements over the past month: that Washington granted them leniency on auto exports in the haggling over the level of Trump's across-the-board tariffs that took effect Aug. 7. But for the trio of car export powerhouses, which unlike the UK face a 50% duty on their steel and aluminum, the wait for Trump's concession continues while an American levy justified on national security grounds on imported Toyotas, BMWs, Hyundais and others remains at a crippling 25%.'We're continuing to see damage — the bleeding hasn't stopped,' Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said Friday in a reference to the country's car industry. 'We want the US to sign the executive order as soon as possible.'Spokesmen for the White House, the US Trade Representative's office and the Commerce Department didn't reply to requests for was three weeks ago that EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shook hands with Trump in Scotland over what she called an 'all-inclusive' tariff of 15% that officials in Brussels later understood to be a ceiling that would also apply to which represents Germany's car industry, is pressing for fast implementation to alleviate a 'considerable burden' on manufacturers and their suppliers.'The deal between the EU and the US has not yet brought any clarity or improvement for the German automotive industry,' VDA President Hildegard Müller said in a statement to Bloomberg News on Thursday. 'The costs incurred run into the billions and continue to rise.'Cecilia Malmström, the former European commissioner for trade who's now a nonresident fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, cautioned that any delays may be purely administrative. But 'if nothing happens, there will be huge pressure on the European Commission to retaliate or to act in some way, especially from carmakers in Germany, Italy, France, Sweden and others,' she said. 'There are so many other things that are vague in the EU-US deal — and in the others as well — so it is likely we will see forever negotiations and a lot of filibustering.' At a press briefing on Aug. 14, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Washington and Brussels are finalizing a joint statement. 'The US has made political commitments to us in this respect and we look forward to them being implemented,' he than a week before the EU's announcement, the US and Japan clinched a surprise deal on July 22 that lowered across-the-board tariffs and car levies to 15%. So far the broader duties have been implemented but the added tax on autos remains at 25%. Officials in Asia's No. 2 economy are waiting for an executive order from Trump to bring down the car levies, as well as an official directive — like the EU already received — to clarify that the universal tariffs don't stack on top of existing has mentioned how a Japanese carmaker is losing ¥100 million ($680,000) every hour due to the media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not more: US, Japan Working to Announce Reciprocal Tariffs Won't StackLast month Nissan Motor Corp. said it foresaw a ¥300 billion hit from the lower tariff rate, down from a previous estimate of ¥450 billion. But Chief Executive Officer Ivan Espinosa has warned of the difficulties in giving an accurate forecast as long as it's unclear when the tariffs will take effect and in what flew to the US earlier this month to confirm that the US will be adjusting its executive order soon to remove the stacking, and pay back overcharges on tariffs. Neither has yet to similar questions is South Korea, which announced a trade agreement with Washington on July 31. That pact would impose a 15% tariff on imports to the US, including autos, alongside a $350 billion Korean investment pledge focused on shipbuilding, and $100 billion in energy 15% universal tariff took effect earlier this month under Trump's order, but like Japan, the sectoral auto tariff remains at 25%. While South Korea's exports overall have stayed resilient in the first half of the year, thanks to front-loading by companies anticipating higher US tariffs, the value of car shipments to the US fell nearly 17%, and steel exports dropped more than 11%, trade data showed. South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. could face as much as $5 billion in additional costs this year even under the new 15% auto tariff, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Joanna Chen. While avoiding a 25% levy will save more than $3 billion, the duty squeezes margins amid softer demand and tighter subsidies, intensifying competition with Japanese automakers, Chen said. Korean President Lee Jae Myung's planned summit with Trump on Aug. 25 — their first meeting since Lee took office in June — will test the durability of the $350 billion investment pledge, as well as their alliance over sensitive issues like defense spending, US troop levels and North Korea Starmer and the UK, most aspects of the pact have now come into force, including a 10% so-called reciprocal rate that's the lowest among all US trading partners. Yet Trump's 25% tax on British steel still chafes amid the delays in cutting it. Among the issues to resolve is the US's insistence that steel should be melted and poured in the UK in order to qualify. That's a requirement which Tata Steel UK, one of the country's biggest producers, is no longer able to fulfill after closing down its blast furnace last year. Its new electric arc furnace is not due to be ready until late 2027. People familiar with the government's thinking are cautiously optimistic they might be able to secure exemptions to the melt-and-pour rule, whereby steel imported from certain European countries before being further processed in the UK is allowed to qualify as British. 'It's not for lack of trying by the UK government,' said Tim Rutter, director of public affairs at Tata Steel. 'We hear that US departments are just overwhelmed.'A spokesperson for the UK Department for Business and Trade said officials will continue to work with Washington to implement the deal as soon as on Friday in Washington, the US Customs and Border Protection agency issued new inclusions to steel and aluminum product lists for tariffs that take effect Monday, with some of the guidance affecting imports from the Akazawa acknowledged that even with the UK, actual implementation of key parts of their deal took 54 days. As a result, he's said that it's 'not bad' if an executive order from the US comes by around mid-September.'It's just further confirmation that negotiations never really end,' especially with more US tariffs coming for sectors including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, said Sam Lowe, a partner at Flint Global in London and head of its trade and market access practice.
