Tel Aviv: The US has made military history. On the early hours of June 22, it attacked the Iranian sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
B-2 bombers after a direct flight from the US hit the sites with the most powerful bombs, each weighing 13.5 tons. US navy submarines also launched missiles that hit the underground facilities.
Fordow was hit by 12 GBU-57A/B “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” bunker-buster bombs dropped from B-2 bombers, which flew non-stop from Missouri. This was the first combat use of these bombs.
Natanz and Esfhan were targeted with 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from submarines.
President Trump declared the facilities “obliterated” and emphasised that all aircraft returned safely.
United States’ involvement followed Trump’s ultimatum for Iran to negotiate within two weeks, though strikes occurred just days later.
Israeli officials confirmed “full coordination” with the US, while Iran suspended nuclear talks in response.
The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. A dramatic leap forward in technology, the bomber represents a major milestone in the US bomber modernisation program. The B-2 brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe.
The GBU-57, officially known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is the largest non-nuclear bunker-buster bomb in the US arsenal, developed specifically to destroy deeply buried and fortified targets such as underground nuclear facilities.
Key Features of the Bomb:
Weight: Approximately 30,000 pounds (13,600 kg).
Length: About 20.5 feet (6.2 metres).
Explosive Payload: Around 5,300 pounds (2,400 kg) of high-performance explosives
Delivery Platform: Only the US Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is certified to carry and deploy the GBU-57, due to the bomb’s size and weight.
Guidance: GPS and Inertial Navigation System (INS) for high-precision targeting.
Penetration Capability: Designed to penetrate up to 200 feet (about 60 metres) of concrete or rock, depending on the density and structure of the target.
Some sources suggest enhancements may have increased this capability in recent years.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
