⚙️ GBU‑57A/B “MOP” Specifications & Role
The bomb used by the U.S. in its June 21–22 strike against Iran’s underground nuclear sites (Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan) was the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), dropped by stealth B‑2 Spirit bombers.
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⚙️ GBU‑57A/B “MOP” Specifications & Role
Type: Massive conventional bunker-buster, the heaviest non-nuclear bomb in U.S. service
Weight: ~30,000 lb (13,600 kg)
Dimensions: ~20.5 ft (6.2 m) long
Penetration Capability: Designed to breach up to ~200 ft of reinforced concrete or thick rock
Guidance: GPS/INS precision targeting
Delivery Platform: Exclusively carried by stealth B‑2 Spirit bombers
Payload Delivered: On June 22, six B‑2 bombers dropped 12 MOPs on Fordow, plus two on Natanz
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🔍 Operational Context – Why the MOP?
Target: Fordow sits nearly 300 ft inside a mountain—well-fortified underground
Purpose: The MOP is engineered to penetrate those depths and destroy hardened nuclear infrastructure
Accuracy & Stealth: The B‑2’s radar-evading design and the bomb's GPS guidance allowed for a precise, near-silent strike
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📌 Quick Summary Table
Feature GBU-57A/B MOP
Weight ~30,000 lb (~13.6 t)
Length ~20.5 ft (6.2 m)
Penetration Depth Up to ~200 ft reinforced concrete
Guidance GPS + Inertial Navigation (INS)
Platform B-2 Spirit stealth bomber
Usage on June 22, 2025 12 bombs at Fordow, 2 at Natanz
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In short, the U.S. deployed the GBU‑57A/B MOP—a weapon known for its immense size, pinpoint accuracy, and incredible penetrating power—to obliterate deeply buried nuclear sites in Iran.
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