Bunker buster bomb myth
US GBU-57 bunker buster bomb
This segment critically examines the US GBU-57 bunker buster bomb, its claimed capabilities, and the real-world limitations in using such weapons against deep, hardened, and potentially cleverly designed Iranian underground facilities.
The Claims The GBU-57 (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) weighs 13,608 kg, with 2,268–2,722 kg of explosives, designed to penetrate up to 61 metres, into reinforced concrete or rock before detonation. The claim is that it can reach and destroy underground facilities such as nuclear enrichment sites.
The Reality These claims are likely overstated or misunderstood, especially by political decision-makers misinformed by defense contractors or military briefers. The bomb must hit very close to or directly above a target, such as a tunnel or chamber, to do meaningful damage. A blast cavity from the explosion is ~20–30 metres wide. If the actual tunnel is offset by more than that (30+ metres horizontally or vertically), it won't be affected.
Design Misassumptions US attack models assume Iranian bunkers are simple, vertical shafts, but: Real underground bunkers may use offset tunnels, angled passages, or be built into irregular terrain like hills, making direct hits extremely unlikely. Example: Iran's Fordow facility is buried under a hill, making perpendicular impact very difficult.
Concrete Deflection Techniques Studies (including by Chinese researchers) show that angled concrete structures (eg diamond-shaped cross-sections) can cause incoming munitions to deflect by up to 25°. The front of the bomb slows upon angled impact, while the rear continues, causing it to twist off course. This concept is similar to tank armor design, which uses inhomogeneous or spaced layers to divert and reduce damage from penetrating munitions.
Strategic Warning US entered into the Iran-Israel conflict. Trump’s confidence in US capabilities may be based on misleading briefings, especially regarding:
Effectiveness of air defenses Accuracy and capability of bunker-buster strikes?
Conclusion Iran’s engineers are likely aware of US strike doctrines and have probably designed facilities accordingly. Targeting and destroying such bunkers is much harder than presented - and success requires extremely accurate intelligence and direct-hit capability, which may not exist. Overall, the faith in bunker buster success is questionable, and US political leaders may be basing decisions on overly optimistic or flawed assumptions
Source || Lt Col DanielDavis with MIT Professor Ted Postol
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