US wants bunker-buster fast, denies Iran is reason

The Pentagon is speeding up delivery of a colossal bomb designed to destroy hidden weapons bunkers buried underground and shielded by 10,000 pounds of reinforced concrete.

Call it Plan B for dealing with Iran, which recently revealed a long-suspected nuclear site deep inside a mountain near the holy city of Qom.

The 15-ton behemoth — called the “massive ordnance penetrator,” or MOP — will be the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal and will carry 5,300 pounds of explosives. The bomb is about 10 times more powerful than the weapon it is designed to replace.

The Pentagon has awarded a nearly $52 million contract to speed up placement of the bomb aboard the B-2 Stealth bomber, and officials say the bomb could be fielded as soon as next summer.

Pentagon officials acknowledge that the new bomb is intended to blow up fortified sites like those used by Iran and North Korea for their nuclear programs, but they deny there is a specific target in mind.

“I don’t think anybody can divine potential targets,” Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. “This is just a capability that we think is necessary given the world we live in.”

Source/Full Story: Yahoo! News
Technorati Tags: massive ordnance penetrator

Related posts

• US May Unleash Active Denial System Microwave Weapon in Afghanistan
• U.S. to create cybersecurity military command
• Two Pentagon Police Officers Shot – Gunman Killed
• Pentagon’s James Clapper chosen to be national intelligence director
• Pentagon pursuing new investigation into Bush propaganda program