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America's new mega-bomb is an absolute terror — but Iran may have the last laugh
The Week ^ | August 5, 2015 | Paul Huard

Posted on 08/08/2015 5:59:34 PM PDT by bob_denard

It 's a weapon that justifies the use of the word "awesome" to describe its power. The Massive Ordnance Penetrator — or MOP — weighs in at 30,000 pounds, is almost 20 feet long and is designed to burrow through 200 feet of earth and 60 feet of concrete before detonating.

It's the king of the so-called "bunker busters" and is the largest non-nuclear weapon in the world.

Delivered by the stealthy B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bomber from as high as 20,000 feet, the MOP hits the ground at supersonic speed before slamming its way toward a hardened target through layered subterranean defenses such as native rock, reinforced concrete, and steel plates.

Once it reaches the bunker, the MOP's 5,300-pound warhead detonates, obliterating tunnels, underground chambers and … you name it.

MOP is hard to ignore. Especially for Iran, which has placed key components of its nuclear program such as centrifuges deep beneath the earth. But the MOP's delivery system could be shot out of the sky if an adversary has the right kind of air-defense missiles.

Iran wants those missiles — and Russia is willing to sell them.

(Excerpt) Read more at theweek.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: iran; military; mop; nukes
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1 posted on 08/08/2015 5:59:34 PM PDT by bob_denard
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To: bob_denard

give some to the Border Patrol


2 posted on 08/08/2015 6:01:09 PM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
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To: bob_denard

The real problem is that people like Truman, Reagan, Lincoln or Jackson no longer helm the USA. We have the Muslim version of Caitlyn Jenner or Pee Wee Herman. What good is any weapon with that?


3 posted on 08/08/2015 6:01:59 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ. You can help: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/)
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To: GeronL

And Israel.


4 posted on 08/08/2015 6:04:02 PM PDT by EvilCapitalist (1 of 172)
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To: EvilCapitalist

bump

South Korea could use a few with the tunnels they have found from North Korea.


5 posted on 08/08/2015 6:05:35 PM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
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To: bob_denard
is designed to burrow through 200 feet of earth and 60 feet of concrete before detonating.

Niagara Falls is 170'. This thing can go 30' more? wow!

6 posted on 08/08/2015 6:09:12 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: GeronL

Mother of All Bombs alert! I find it interesting that it would be delievered from a B-2. I always thought weapons of these sorts have been dropped from C-130’s.

Anyways ... it is waste of taxpayer dollars. We should just use our aging nuclear weapons on all holy sites in Iran. (I believe that is just about every where, lol). And for shits and giggles, drop another nuke on Mecca.


7 posted on 08/08/2015 6:09:15 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA
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To: bob_denard
MOP is hard to ignore. Especially for Iran, which has placed key components of its nuclear program such as centrifuges deep beneath the earth. But the MOP's delivery system could be shot out of the sky if an adversary has the right kind of air-defense missiles.

Iran wants those missiles — and Russia is willing to sell them

Which is why we should not be wasting time with negotiation and “treaties that are not treaties.”

The time to strike is running out while Obama dithers and Uranium is being enriched.

8 posted on 08/08/2015 6:09:55 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: bob_denard

What good does this do us if there is a preemptive strike with an EMP bomb? I thought that was the weapon of the future.


9 posted on 08/08/2015 6:10:34 PM PDT by Calpublican (All Hail the Uni-Party!!!!)
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To: ConservativeInPA

bump


10 posted on 08/08/2015 6:10:48 PM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
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To: ConservativeInPA

We have squandered our nuclear deterrence. It is 30 years old.. We are in real jeopardy from the Chinese. Real bad jeopardy.


11 posted on 08/08/2015 6:12:23 PM PDT by WENDLE (Make America great again.)
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To: EvilCapitalist
"And Israel"

Or just give them the plans or one to reverse engineer and they will make a ton of improvements just like they did to the F-4 Phantom.

12 posted on 08/08/2015 6:12:40 PM PDT by taildragger (It's Cruz & Walker. Anything else is a Yugo with Racing Stripes....)
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To: Pontiac

[Iran wants those missiles — and Russia is willing to sell them]

And they’re buying with our money (technically money we borrowed to give them that we probably can’t pay back because our government is printing useless dollars and we are going to collapse from the weight of it). He started the payments in April of this year!!


13 posted on 08/08/2015 6:14:26 PM PDT by Calpublican (All Hail the Uni-Party!!!!)
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To: bob_denard
Capability times resolve equals military might.

With zero's zero resolve this weapon has no utility.

14 posted on 08/08/2015 6:18:14 PM PDT by null and void (If the government can't protect the Marines, how can we expect it to protect us?)
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To: bob_denard
MOP — weighs in at 30,000 pounds…the MOP hits the ground at supersonic speed before slamming its way toward a hardened target through layered subterranean defenses such as native rock, reinforced concrete, and steel plates.

The MOP is hitting the ground with at least 23 million foot pounds of force. It then survives that to penetrate through the defenses to successfully detonate.

That is some impressive engineering. My hat is off to the designers.

15 posted on 08/08/2015 6:21:55 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: bob_denard; Army Air Corps; GeronL

Having that Dropped on your head would Ruin your day.


16 posted on 08/08/2015 6:24:02 PM PDT by KC_Lion (PLEASE SUPPORT FR. Donate Monthly or Join Club 300! G-d bless you all!)
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To: WENDLE

Exactly. It is a whole lot easier to use munitions than to dispose. It is time to make room and upgrade. (Written only half jokingly)


17 posted on 08/08/2015 6:27:41 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA
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To: bob_denard

Like Captain Midnight would ever use it. He’d hand it over to the mullahs first.


18 posted on 08/08/2015 6:32:16 PM PDT by headstamp 2
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To: bob_denard

What’s wrong with the B61-11?


19 posted on 08/08/2015 6:34:11 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: bob_denard
It 's a weapon that justifies the use of the word "awesome" to describe its power. The Massive Ordnance Penetrator — or MOP

We should not build and more or these.... until we use up all the ones we now have.

20 posted on 08/08/2015 6:37:58 PM PDT by Poison Pill
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