ABC: Pentagon places “urgent” order for four massive bunker-busting bombs
posted at 4:52 pm on October 7, 2009 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
He’s got the “speak softly” part pretty well covered. Looks like now it’s time for The One to start carrying the big stick. And I do mean big: It’s the largest non-nuclear explosive on earth.
First, some background: Back in October 2007, ABC News reported that the Pentagon had asked Congress for $88 million in the emergency Iraq/Afghanistan war funding request to develop a gargantuan bunker-busting bomb called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). It’s a 30,000-pound bomb designed to hit targets buried 200 feet below ground. Back then, the Pentagon cited an “urgent operational need” for the new weapon.
Now the Pentagon is shifting spending from other programs to fast forward the development and procurement of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The Pentagon comptroller sent a request to shift the funds to the House and Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees over the summer.
The comptroller said the Pentagon planned to spend $19.1 million to procure four of the bombs, $28.3 million to accelerate the bomb’s “development and testing”, and $21 million to accelerate the integration of the bomb onto B-2 stealth bombers.
Why now? The notification says simply, “The Department has an Urgent Operational Need (UON) for the capability to strike hard and deeply buried targets in high threat environments. The MOP is the weapon of choice to meet the requirements of the UON.” It further states that the request is endorsed by Pacific Command (which has responsibility over North Korea) and Central Command (which has responsibility over Iran).
Iran’s enrichment site at Qom is, of course, located inside a mountain. Two thoughts. One: This is a relatively cheap form of saber-rattling. $70 million is nothing when it comes to defense outlays; probably the whole point of speeding up production is simply to be able to leak the story to an outlet like ABC so that Iran will see it. Two: They could be rushing this out not because we intend to use it ourselves (the part about outfitting it for the B-2 notwithstanding) but so that we can hand it off to Israel. Do they have anything big enough to carry it, though? I’m guessing yes, as rumors that we might sell them the MOP have surfaced before.
Exit question: Would a man with this on his wall really bomb Iran? I ask you.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3
I wonder if the C-130 can attain the altitude necessary to drop a MOP? From what I understand the MOP needs as much free fall time as you can give it to attain the necessary velocity required to slice through 200 feet of rock. I could see the B-2 attaining sufficient altitude with ease, but not a C-130.
Though I doubt the MOP will ever be used on Iran, outside of a full scale war that is.
wuesteblitz on October 8, 2009 at 3:40 AM
Fifteen ton conventional bomb…doubt a B2 could dump one of those. Could a B-52?
Suppose we could use a Delta IV as the delivery system.
If anyone asks “Hey, we’re just launching our moon probes! Nothing to see here!”
SuperCool on October 8, 2009 at 4:05 AM
The B2 already has a payload capacity of 40,000 pounds and with the proper modifications will be able to carry two of those bad mamma jammmas.
csdeven on October 8, 2009 at 6:11 AM
You don’t have to destroy the lab itself to render it inoperational, just destroying the tunnels that lead to it will knock it out of action for months. Not to mention killing many, if not most of the technicians working on it.
MarkTheGreat on October 8, 2009 at 8:06 AM
I assume you meant a C-17.
I do read the right websites and I lived for 28 yrs. with all the airborne USAF hardware and airframes available.
Guys, in the real world of combat and ADA, dropping ordnance from a cargo plane is a non-starter, along with dropping it from a 737, 747, 757, 777 or any airbus made.
The C-133 could carry a Minuteman, Atlas and Titan but that didn’t mean it could fire them!
Allahpundit’s heart’s in the right place but there is nothing in the IAF that could deliver a payload that big on Gaza much less than several thousand miles away in Iran.
In addition I suspect that western Iranian airspace is closely approaching the status of “the most deadliest airspace in the Middle East if not the world.”
Unfortunately, this kind of saber rattling is as effective as a dummy CCTV camera is for deterring crime; the thieves know it’s not real and the Iranians know we’re (Obama) not serious.
It’s starting to become embarrassing.
E9RET on October 8, 2009 at 4:55 PM
I still can’t believe that White House art. LOL. You couldn’t think up something like that.
jonezee on October 8, 2009 at 6:18 PM
E9RET on October 8, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t a C-130 deliver MOAB? I think there’s a gulf of difference between “nonstarter” and “unconventional”.
For now we can just amuse ourselves with the speculations and it’s all good. Just remember, in war, we don’t have to have the ultimate 100% solution, when 80% result from 20% effort can achieve objectives.
AH_C on October 8, 2009 at 8:14 PM
***
Why would Israel try to build a 15 ton deep penetrating bomb with conventional explosives? Hard to carry on their aircraft and hard to get to the target.
***
Why not use one (or more) of their nukes as the “core” of a smaller ground penetrating bomb? Much smaller–and probably deliverable on a real high speed missile from high altitude. If it can get 100 meters underground before it goes off 20,000 tons of explosion will make the ground jump a lot more than 15 tons of explosion will. Specialty metals like titanium or depleted uranium might penetrate far enough.
***
I remember seeing a rolling “earthquake wave” 20 feet high radiating out from the underground A-bomb test site in Nevada a long time ago. I don’t think any underground facility within a quarter of a mile could survive it. And the fallout would be confined in the remains of the underground facility.
***
Think nuke. If Iran really wants them we–or the Israelis–can supply some coming in at 3000 meters per second. And GPS will put them within a few meters of “underground zero”.
***
John Bibb
***
rocketman on October 8, 2009 at 9:14 PM
There goes the Nobel Peace Prize!
Herb on October 9, 2009 at 10:25 AM
There is no way they will use anything nuclear, even if it may be the best tactical option. There would be way too much political fallout.
OTOH, if they’re gonna do it they’re gonna destroy the facility. There’s no point in destroying roads or tunnels that can be easily rebuilt. If they strike it will be to put the program back years, not months.
liveslow on October 9, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3