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tehjoker 17 hours ago

the bunker buster, if used, will almost certainly be nuclear. estimated tonnage: 300 kt

p_ing 17 hours ago | parent | next [-]

MOP is a conventional weapon, 30,000 lbs. Only the B-2 is rated to carry it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GBU-57A/B_MOP

xnx 16 hours ago | parent [-]

Genuinely surprised that Israel couldn't push one out of their c-130s

algorithmsRcool 14 hours ago | parent | next [-]

The kinetics matter here. The B2 flies much higher than the C-130 which would aid the GBU-57 MOP (almost certainly used here) in it's ability to penetrate to maximum depth. 80% of the 15 ton weight of that bomb is just heavy metal to give it maximum energy as it borrows into the ground.

Also, each B2 can carry 2 MOPs making it a better platform than a C-130, and that isn't even taking the stealth of the platform into account

xnx 14 hours ago | parent [-]

> Also, each B2 can carry 2 MOPs

Wow. That is amazing. 60,000 lbs. combined.

1659447091 15 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Don't think the C-130s can fly high enough with a single 30,000lb bomb. The graphic at bbc site show it would be dropped from about 12km (~40,000 ft) in order to gain the speed needed to drive it some 60m underground.

ahazred8ta 14 hours ago | parent [-]

From 40,000 feet, the bomb would take ~ 50 seconds to fall and would impact at mach 1.5.

CyanLite2 14 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Various sources are saying 6 to 12 of these bombs were used. So, you'd need a lot of C-130s and those planes are too slow to NOT get shot down.

giantg2 15 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Do they even have access to this variant? I thought they had access to the older ones that weren't as advanced.

dingaling 12 hours ago | parent | next [-]

The MOP isn't particularly 'advanced', it's basically refined version of the Korean-vintage Tarzon guided earthquake bombs. It's just too heavy for most military aircraft to carry.

The IDF has the F-15I which has a centerline hard point rated for 5,000lb load. That's immense for a fighter but a magnitude too low for the MOP.

There are a variety of smaller US penetrating bombs that the F-15 can handle, but they don't have the mass and structure to penetrate as deeply.

YZF 14 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

They do not.

ceejayoz 15 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Israel hasn’t degraded Iranian air defenses that much. The stuff that can’t threaten a F-35 can still trouble a C-130.

energy123 14 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Why do you say this? Israel only lost 1 drone.

ceejayoz an hour ago | parent [-]

C-130s are very large, slow targets.

invalidname 14 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

According to Israel they fly freely in West/central Iran and use all the plains including F15/16. Initially they relied on the F-35's stealth but as of last week they claim air superiority.

tguvot 12 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

video shows how confused and disoriented are whatever SAM that survived

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/1lb8mkc/iran...

p_ing 14 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Israel doesn't have access to the MOP.

arandomusername 17 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The GBU-57 was most likely used, which is non nuclear

ranger_danger 14 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> almost certainly be nuclear

Source:

ggm 16 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is nonsense.

tehjoker 13 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

those of you hating on this comment, the conventional weapons could not possibly work, the facility is too deep

tempestn 13 hours ago | parent [-]

Even after everyone corrected you with information on the specific ordinance used, you're doubling down?

tehjoker 12 hours ago | parent [-]

they might be right, but that's why the attack failed and why there's a risk what I said might still come true

i was listening to Al Jazeera, one of the DC flaks they interviewed gave an upper estimate of the facility depth as 1000 ft. The conventional device can go to something like 60m or 200 ft. 6 devices were dropped, they would have to have everything, including geology with repeated strikes on the same point, be perfect to get past 1000 feet, and then they probably would not destroy the whole facility. As far as I know, they don't even have a good map of the layout.

hence, the only real option is a nuclear weapon. this is absolutely being considered inside the pentagon. our government is psychotic. a 1 kt nuclear weapon (laughably small, hiroshima was 15 kt) is 73x more powerful than a 30,000 lb bomb. they would be like, well, it's an underground explosion! The world will forgive us. it's so crafty and smart to use a nuke to stop a nuke (that doesn't exist).

https://x.com/ArmsControlWonk/status/1935741526191100181

"The effectiveness of GBU-57s has been a topic of deep contention at the Pentagon since the start of Trump’s term, according to two defense officials who were briefed that perhaps only a tactical nuclear weapon could be capable of destroying Fordow because of how deeply it is located."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/19/trump-caution-...