The Pentagon made headlines on Thursday by releasing stunning footage that illustrates the power and precision of its 30,000-pound heavy-duty bunker-buster bombs. These advanced munitions, designed to penetrate fortified targets, have been notably used against Iran’s nuclear sites, effectively demolishing structures that are buried deep underground.
The video features a GBU-57 series MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) impacting its target, resulting in an enormous plume of dust followed by a blinding inferno during a test detonation. Pilots who have deployed these Massive Ordnance Penetrators in missions over Iran described the explosion as “the brightest explosion” they had ever witnessed, stating, “it literally looked like daylight.”
During a press briefing on Thursday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, elaborated on the unique characteristics of these bombs. He noted that, unlike conventional surface bombs, MOPs do not create visible impact craters. “You won’t see an impact crater because they’re designed to deeply bury and then function,” he explained. “All six weapons at each vent at the Fordow uranium enrichment plant went exactly where they were intended to go.”
The footage also included slow-motion visuals of an MOP striking a target, demonstrating its ability to cut through the arched interior of a ventilation shaft without detonating initially as it burrowed deeper into the test facility.
Lt. Gen. Caine further explained the bomb’s destructive capabilities, stating, “A bomb has three effects that cause damage: blast, fragmentation, and overpressure.” In this specific mission scenario, the primary mechanisms of destruction were a combination of overpressure and blast, illustrating the MOP's effectiveness against fortified structures.
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“Imagine what this looks like six times over,” concluded Lt. Gen. Caine, emphasizing the overwhelming power of these bunker-buster bombs when deployed in coordinated strikes. This powerful demonstration highlights the U.S. military's capabilities in addressing fortified targets and its ongoing efforts in maintaining national security.
