A first in history: The US struck Iran with these bombs! Only the US has them
In the attack carried out by the US on Iran's Fordo nuclear facility, which was built dozens of meters underground, GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs—found only in the American military's inventory—were used. These bombs, capable of penetrating to a depth of 61 meters, were deployed in an actual conflict for the first time in the history of warfare. So, what is known about these bombs? Here are the details...
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As the Israel-Iran war continues into its 10th day, the US has officially and actively joined the war by bombing Iran's Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo nuclear facilities.
So, what is known about the American bombs that struck the Fordo nuclear facility, which is located dozens of meters underground and is also referred to as Iran's "nuclear heart"?
ONLY IN THE US INVENTORY
The GBU-57, known as the world's most powerful bunker-buster bomb, is a precision-guided munition weighing thousands of kilograms. This bomb is capable of penetrating to depths of several meters.
According to a report by the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), with the attacks on Iran, the US has used its largest bunker-buster bombs in wartime for the first time.
So, how do these bombs, which have the power to destroy Iran's nuclear bunkers, work?
The GBU-57 is known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP for short.
It is found only in the inventory of the United States military.
THIS IS WHY ISRAEL WANTED TO DRAW THE US INTO THE WAR
Before the US attack on Iran, it was stated that Israel wanted to drag Washington into the war precisely because these bombs are only available to the US. This is because it was stated that Iran's Fordo nuclear facility, built meters underground, could only be targeted with bunker-buster bombs.
CAPABLE OF PENETRATING 61 METERS DEEP
The uranium enrichment facility is located approximately 80-90 meters underground on the side of a mountain, designed to withstand conventional airstrikes.
The United States' GBU-57 type bunker-buster bombs, on the other hand, are designed to penetrate 61 meters underground before detonating.
These bombs, which are approximately 6 meters long, have a total weight of 13,600 kilograms, including a 2,700-kilogram warhead.
The only aircraft capable of carrying the GBU-57s is the stealth bomber known as the B-2 Spirit, which also belongs to the American military.
The B-2s, which are among the most advanced warplanes of the American Air Force, can carry a maximum of two of these bunker-buster bombs at a time.