Massive Ordnance Penetrator (30,000lb bomb)

GlobalSecurity.org ^

[Reaganesque]

Boeing's Phantom Works is leading the effort to demonstrate the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). The three-phase technology demonstration builds on design studies that Boeing had conducted for the laboratory. Flight testing is envisaged around 2006. The 6 m [20 feet] long MOP features short-span wings and trellis-type tails. The 13,600 kg [30,000 lb] weapon contains a 2,700 kg [6,000 lb] explosive charge. MOP is designed to go deeper than any nuclear bunker buster and take out 25 percent of the underground and deeply buried targets. It is expected to penetrate as much as 60 meters [200 feet] through 5,000 psi reinforced concrete. It will burrow 8 meters into the ground through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete. Northrop Grumman is working on with Boeing to develop this conventional bunker buster. They are under contract to Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

While complete physical destruction may be desired, for some hard and deeply buried targets this effect isn't practicable with current weapons and employment techniques. It may be possible, however, to deny or disrupt the mission or function of a facility. Functional defeat is facilitated through better data collection and intelligence preparation against the potential targets. The defeat process includes finding and identifying a facility, characterizing its function and physical layout, determining its vulnerabilities to available weapons, planning an attack, applying force, assessing damage, and, if necessary, suppressing reconstitution efforts and re-striking the facility. New more lethal defeat options for Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBTs) like the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, that can overwhelm target characterization uncertainties, are being developed and demonstrated to provide a 10x increase in weapon lethality and improved penetration capability compared to inventory weapons.

[Reaganesque]

Move over MOAB, big BLU's in town!

Here are the specs:

Specifications
Weight, total	13,600 kg [30,000 lb]
Weight, explosive	2,700 kg [6,000 lb]
Length	6 m [20 feet]
Diameter	??
Control	short-span wings and trellis-type tail
Penetration	60 meters [200 feet] through 5,000 psi reinforced concrete 40 meters [125 feet] through moderately hard rock 8 meters [25 feet] through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete
Contractors	Boeing, Northrop Grumman
Sponsors	Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Platforms	B-52, B-2
Guidance	GPS aided INS
Schedule	2005 - Refine MOP concept and begin detailed weapon development and testing 2005 - statically emplaced Proof-of Principle test of payload effectiveness 2006 - static lethality demonstration against hard and deeply buried targets 2006 - scaled penetration and lethality testing 2007 - Conduct Massive Ordnance Penetrator Demonstration 2007 - full-scale performance demonstration against realistic hard and deeply buried targets

[Reaganesque]

And here's a graphic to give you an idea of how big it will be:

[Dog Gone]

Flight testing is envisaged around 2006.

What is the real date of the article you posted?

[HOYA97]

MOP = Mother Of all Penetrators!

[The Blitherer]

Functional defeat is facilitated through better data collection and intelligence preparation against the potential targets. The defeat process includes finding and identifying a facility, characterizing its function and physical layout, determining its vulnerabilities to available weapons, planning an attack, applying force, assessing damage, and, if necessary, suppressing reconstitution efforts and re-striking the facility.

Well then, apparently we're all set to go on Iran. We've got the intelligence from those defecting officers, and now we've got the bomb to act on it.

[Frank_2001]

2007-full-scale performance demonstration against realistic hard and deeply buried targets IN TEHERAN, IRAN;)

[sure_fine]

wonder if this release of info ties into war games in gulf

like kicking sand in iranian faces

[Reaganesque]

It didn't give one. The article that led me to this article was dated yesterday, March 28, 2007.

[Dog Gone]

That's kinda weird. The statement I quoted makes me think the article is probably at least two years old.

[cripplecreek]

Gonna need a MOP for what's left.

[Frank_2001]

Tehran (not that it will make a lot of difference;)

[fish hawk]

What a coincident. That's what they call me too.

[Lurker]

Just bury the Iranian scientists inside their bunkers and let 'em starve to death.

If there are no doors, there is no facility.

L

[Reaganesque]

This from Gizmag.com:

The Boeing-developed Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) successfully completed a static tunnel lethality test March 14 at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) weapons tunnel complex at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

[Buck W.]

"Flight testing is envisaged around 2006."
Can't wait!

[ryan71]

Posted a couple days ago but that's okay.

I have visions of these things clearing tunnels in Iran.

That much steel dropped from that altitude is going to make a dent.

I'm series.

[Reaganesque]

It could be. This has been in development for at least that long.

[GSlob]

Wll, if I could go to 40-50 tons weight, then I'd have a nuclear shaped charge, with penetration significantly higher. The weight would be mostly the extra-heavy cavity liner.

[Eye of Unk]

I saw this posted here at FR a couple of days ago. Is this really newsworthy? Maybe this will steer the nukem groups here into another bombing frenzy.
Iran knows very well what we have, everything. They even know of theoretical weapons, experimental and even alien technology, only thing that happens everytime I see some ubermacho explosive device is that it gets the good ole boy posters all worked up into a froth, nothing personal.

[digger48]

only thing that happens everytime I see some ubermacho explosive device is that it gets the good ole boy posters all worked up into a froth, nothing personal.

Who???? US???..... Never...