What Is GBU-57 MOP? US Bunker Buster Bomb That Israel Needs To Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Sites

Around 600 people were reportedly killed in the ongoing Israel-Iran war. According to reports, out of the total casualties in the conflict, over 580 Iranians lost their lives in Israeli strikes. As Israel intensifies strikes on several Iranian cities, killing its top military commander, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has reportedly gone underground.

Reports claimed that Khamenei has taken shelter in a bunker along with his family. Israel wants to use America’s bunker buster bomb, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facility and kill its top leadership, including Khamenei.

#USA #AirForce B-2 Spirit strategic bomber dropping The GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator , a precision-guided, 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bomb pic.twitter.com/uGYvX5Ko2E

— Anoncandanga (@anon_candanga) March 26, 2021

What are these bunker buster bombs?
Bunker buster bombs are specialized aerial munitions designed to penetrate hardened or deeply buried targets, such as military bunkers, underground command centres, missile silos, or fortified shelters. These bombs are used when conventional bombs would explode on the surface or too shallow to destroy the intended target.

THE ONLY BOMB AND BOMBER CAPABLE OF DESTROYING IRAN’S FORDOW NUCLEAR FACILITY

The GBU 57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator is a 30,000 pound (13,600 kg) bunker buster bomb, it’s substantially larger than the deepest-penetrating bunker >> pic.twitter.com/HoaZdaj5LR

— True Prowess (@TrueProwess_) June 15, 2025

About GBU-57A/B MOP:
The GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) is a 30,000-pound (13,608 kg) precision-guided “bunker buster” bomb developed for the US Air Force. To ensure precision targeting, the MOP employs a combination of Global Positioning System and Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance.

Also Read: Did Iran Shoot Down 3 F-35 Stealth Fighter Jets Of Israel During Ongoing Conflict? Here’s What IDF Said On Iranian Claims

Type:
• Deep-penetration, bunker buster bomb designed for hardened underground targets.

Weight:
• Approximately 30,000 pounds (13,600 kg), making it the heaviest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal.

Length:
• Around 20.5 feet (6.2 meters).

Diameter:
• About 31.5 inches (80 cm).

Warhead:
• Contains approximately 5,300 pounds of high explosive, housed in a hardened steel casing.

Penetration Capability:
• Can penetrate up to 200+ feet (60+ meters) of reinforced earth or 60 feet (18 meters) of reinforced concrete before detonation.

Guidance System:
• Uses a GPS-aided Inertial Navigation System (INS) for precision targeting.

Accuracy:
• Circular Error Probable (CEP) is within a few meters, allowing highly accurate strikes.

Delivery Platform:
• Deployed exclusively by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber due to its size and weight.

Purpose:
• Designed to destroy deeply buried bunkers, command centers, WMD sites, and underground military facilities.

Construction:
• Made with high-strength steel to withstand impact forces and maintain integrity until the explosion occurs underground.

Operational Use:
• Though not confirmed to have been used in combat, it is a critical component of the U.S. military’s strategic deterrence arsenal.