Pentagon’s Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) Bunker-Buster Bomb Ready for Deployment in Iran

The Pentagon’s latest weapon, the massive ordnance penetrator, could be deployed in theaters like Iran where it would destroy underground nuclear research facilities and bunkers.

The US Defense Department’s Operational Test and Evaluation office stated that the 15-ton MOP bomb is now ready for field use after a series of successful tests at Holloman Air Force Base (NM) and White Sands Missile Range (NM).

One potential location for the MOP bomb to be used is Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, buried 80 meters underneath a mountain. The existence of the massive ordnance penetrator bomb affords the United States two advantages in the standoff with Iran over its nuclear weapons:

  • It allows the United States to demonstrate to Iran that it possesses non-nuclear capabilities strong enough to destroy Iran’s existing projects.
  • Israel does not have such a weapon, making unilateral action a less-attractive option for Israel.

The system will hold at risk those highest priority assets essential to the enemy’s war-fighting ability, which are heavily defended and protected … a critical global strike capability not currently met by inventory conventional weapons.
United States Air Force

 

[TIME]