New Fuzes For GBU-57 Huge Ordnance Penetrators Requested By USAF

[ad_1] The U.S. Air Pressure is exploring new choices to assist with the event of improved fuzes for the 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Huge Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb. The service can be excited about extra sources for the manufacturing of different key GBU-57/B elements, in addition to help in sustaining its present shares of the bombs. This follows the primary fight use of the MOP in strikes on Iranian nuclear amenities final month.

The Air Pressure Life Cycle Administration Heart (AFLCMC) put out a contracting discover relating to potential GBU-57 manufacturing and assist wants earlier in the present day. The overall measurement of the prevailing MOP stock is classed, however Air Pressure Chief of Employees Gen. David Allvin stated that it's at present being expanded at a listening to earlier than members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 26. At current, the B-2 stealth bomber is the one plane cleared to make use of the large bunker buster operationally, and may carry simply two of them per sortie. The B-21 Raider stealth bomber can be anticipated to have the MOP in its arsenal, nevertheless it’s possible it's going to solely be capable of carry one of many bombs at a time. B-52s have been used to drop them throughout testing, as properly.

USAF " loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/jdGBGY8is7.jVOdhcM2jDQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_warzone_735/6c2e999d0e87cd7d34f7b8cdd2f611c0"/> A B-2 bomber drops a GBU-57/B Huge Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) throughout a take a look at. USAF

“Fuze improvement and integration into the elements of the GBU-57 weapon system, to incorporate integration and software program modification throughout the KMU-612 tail-kit and the BLU-127 fuzing system,” is among the many said areas of curiosity within the contracting discover.

The KMU-612/B, of which there are numerous variants already, is the tail part of the GBU-57/B, which incorporates the GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) steering bundle and different programs. The BLU-127/B is the penetrating “warhead” that's mixed with the KMU-612/B and different elements to type a whole MOP.

A member of the US Air Pressure inspects {a partially} assembled GBU-57/B, which is notably missing its tail equipment. USAF Whiteman Air Pressure Base through Fb

The contracting discover additionally lists the manufacturing of KMU-612E/B variants of the tail equipment, manufacturing of different unspecified MOP elements, sustainment assist (“to incorporate, however not restricted to: assist of all MOP {hardware} and assist gear; MOP tail equipment repairs/retrofits; and MOP Engineering Technical Help”), and “obsolescence assist and validation,” as areas the place the Air Pressure is on the lookout for new help.

“This Sources Sought is for informational planning functions and it's not to be construed as a dedication by the Authorities for any precise procurement of supplies, equipment, or companies,” the discover additionally stresses. “This discover doesn't represent a solicitation or a promise of a solicitation sooner or later. This Sources Sought doesn't commit the Authorities to a contract for any provide or service.”

The strikes on Iran in June have put a brand new highlight on the GBU-57/B and made the bombs one thing of a family identify. The necessity for an possibility to carry the Iranian nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow in danger with out having to resort to utilizing a nuclear bomb was central to the bomb’s unique improvement. You may learn extra in regards to the munition’s backstory in our latest interview with a retired Los Alamos Nationwide Laboratory (LANL) scientist who took half in testing that led as much as the MOP program right here.

Me, standing on the fringe of a MOP crater on a mountain high at White Sands Check Vary, the place detailed research of huge earth penetrators have been studied for effectiveness in opposition to deeply buried targets by the Protection Menace Discount Company (DTRA) —previously Protection Nuclear Company.… pic.twitter.com/JYq1V2xO6q

— Gary Stradling (@gary_stradling) June 24, 2025

The MOP has been upgraded a number of occasions already for the reason that munition first started getting into service within the early 2010s, significantly with regard to its fuzing. That is an particularly necessary side of the bunker buster’s design, as TWZ was famous beforehand:

“Dependable fuzing, on the whole, is especially necessary for bunker buster bombs, the elements of which have to have the ability to face up to extra forces because the munition burrows by laborious materials.”

“Bombs just like the MOP … which might be designed to penetrate very deeply have extra specialised fuzing wants, particularly for employment in opposition to targets the place pre-strike intelligence in regards to the actual depth and/or bodily format is proscribed. Work on superior void-sensing fuzes that may detect when a munition has breached right into a sufficiently giant area, corresponding to a room in an underground facility, is an space of improvement that has already been of explicit curiosity for the U.S. navy for years now. A fuze that is ready to simply successfully ‘rely’ flooring to assist decide depth to detonate the bomb at a sure stage for optimum injury would even be a helpful addition.”

The video reveals imagery from numerous previous MOP checks:

The capabilities supplied by the prevailing fuzes for the MOPs have been on full show within the strikes on Iran, in keeping with the Pentagon.

Every of the 12 MOPs dropped on Fordow had their “fuze programmed bespokely” permitting “every weapon to realize a selected impact contained in the goal,” and the entire bombs “had a novel, desired influence angle, arrival, [and] remaining heading,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees U.S. Air Pressure Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine defined at a press briefing on June 26.

At Fordow, B-2 stealth bombers additionally notably dropped the entire MOPs on simply two influence factors, with six bombs hanging every one, successively burrowing right down to the precise goal beneath. Although the Pentagon has stated the general mission was a powerful success, the precise rapid outcomes of the strikes and their broader impacts on Iran’s nuclear ambitions stay main factors of rivalry. On the time of writing, the U.S. navy’s most up-to-date public evaluation is that the Iranian nuclear program has been set again between one to 2 years, however the Worldwide Atomic Power Company (IAEA) has stated home enrichment actions may resume within the nation inside a matter of months.

DOD " loading="lazy" width="960" height="641" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/C5y_cNzJ3ktLinEBwK4sEQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_warzone_735/9a92361ba83223f0ed9e9127b600c560"/> A graphic shared on the press convention in the present day with extra particulars in regards to the employment of MOPs on Fordow. DOD

Regardless, any additional enhancements to the GBU-57’s fuzing association or different points of the design will now profit from classes realized from the employment of the munitions on targets in Iran. The fight use of the MOP has additionally supplied Iran and different potential adversaries (together with Russia and China, which have robust relations with the regime in Tehran) a possibility to attempt to glean key particulars in regards to the bombs. Further upgrades and modifications to the MOP may then be required to account for any makes an attempt to plan countermeasures to its present capabilities.

The distinctive deep-penetrating standard strike functionality supplied by the MOP, paired with the B-2 (and the long run B-21), may very well be referred to as upon in future conflicts properly past Iran. China and Russia each have well-established histories of constructing deep underground amenities, together with mountain caverns for plane and submarines, and proceed to increase their subterranean infrastructure. North Korea has additionally been pushing to develop its underground capabilities, in no small half as a result of risk of U.S. strikes.

“This isn't a static setting,” Air Pressure Chief of Employees Allvin additionally stated on the June 26 listening to earlier than the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Now that we all know that it was profitable, I’m fairly certain that people who find themselves potential adversaries would possibly have a look at that they usually might adapt.”

Allvin was responding to a direct query about whether or not a substitute for the MOP is in improvement. The Air Pressure is engaged on a successor design, at present known as the Subsequent Era Penetrator (NGP), which may evolve right into a household of munitions, if it has not begun to already.

USAF " loading="lazy" width="761" height="572" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/9INEyuvRHG33sMJ1h_2aLQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMjtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_warzone_735/23927e4484f39ded3e30db204f50e9a2"/> A 2010 US Air Pressure briefing slide discussing plans for a Subsequent Era Penetrator and different future bunker busters that may very well be a part of a single household of munitions. USAF

“So, we're consistently taking a look at, whether or not or not it's these [MOP replacement options], or a sophisticated know-how, or superior techniques, to have the ability to get forward and ensure, because the risk strikes to defend, we have now the flexibility to place the equipment collectively that we are able to proceed to have occasions like final Saturday evening occur if we’re referred to as upon once more,” Gen. Allvin added on the listening to final month, referring to the strikes on Iran. “It may be one thing completely different than the GBU-57, some development based mostly on what the enemy would possibly do.”

Within the meantime, the strikes on Iran have solely cemented the significance of the GBU-57 and of guaranteeing these bombs stay as succesful as attainable of holding particularly deeply buried targets in danger.