Posted on 11/09/2007 12:23:18 PM PST by Wuli
Longer than a Humvee and weighing more than two elephants, the latest and largest bunker-busting bomb is an attention-getter.
The $88 million request last month to speed up the operational ability of the MOP, or Massive Ordnance Penetrator, was noticed by some in Congress who saw a signal that Washington was on track for a war with Iran.
Presumably, its listing as an “urgent operational need from theater commanders” was noticed, as well, by Iran’s leadership.
The 15-ton weapon would be most tailored to blast away at deeply buried nuclear facilities. Defense analysts have predicted any attack on Iran would involve the B-2 stealth bomber using its radar-dodging ways to slip past Tehran’s air defenses and drop bunker busters on places like Natanz, where nuclear facilities hum away 100 feet below the surface.
The jets could be MOP capable by late 2008, said a spokesman at Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knob Noster, home of the B-2 bomber.
In its October emergency appropriations request for $196 million more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the White House essentially sped up funding for the new bomb. Previously, only about $30 million had been allocated to develop it.
The administration listed the request under “technologies to improve the survivability of U.S. personnel and equipment.”
While American forces at times needed to blast through sturdy defenses during the very earliest stages of the invasions that ousted Saddam Hussein and put down the Taliban, those conflicts now are guerilla and counterinsurgency fights that demand a much lighter touch than a 15-ton bomb.
A high-ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee called the funding request “a clear red flag.” Rep. Jim McDermott, a Washington state Democrat.....
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
“If Congress blocks this, that would help cool the tensions,” said Selig S. Harrison, the director of the Asia program of the Center for International Policy. “The (Iranian) hard-liners are strengthened in direct proportion to the pressure that we apply. … If the other guys can say, ‘See, the U.S. is divided,’ that would reduce the chance of conflict.”....
Yea, sure, according to the idiot, Mr. Harrison, Iran is on hits Islamic jihad rampage, and has been since the Mullahs took over, ONLY because the U.S. has such a strong defense system, and if the U.S. lowered its defense posture Iran would play nice in the world. Mr. Harrison is not just an idiot, he's a fool, and a dangerous fool as well.
Maybe, just maybe getting a stockpile of BBs will convince a cabal inside the Iran military to end the Mullahs march to national suicide.
Now that is one hilarious headline.
I remember a political cartoon from the 80’s with Ted Kennedy holding up a Slingshot and asking the Russians, “is THIS okay?”
Let it rain MOABS in Iran!
I know. I hope so.
Especially if you are in the bunker.
It's been documented in a book that Kennedy advised the Soviets on countering Reagan's military buildup in the 80's.
OK...so it’s fine if Russia fakes building a similar bomb they have good relations with Iran, bt if we build one for real, it’s bad diplomacy?
laser guided busters fired, 3 to 6 to 12 at a time in a staged array guided on each other
Can dig a hole as deep as you want in 3.5 seconds no matter what is down there
Noooooo kidding? I believe that would be precisely the point.
Translation..."We are locked and loaded and ready to sortie, NOW!"
Damn right it will!!!!
I'm willing to bet that many specific DOD funding requests such as MOP are classified.
Would someone familiar with weapons development explain to me why it takes so long to figure out how to hang ordnance on an existing aircraft?
Lets strap Kennedy/Kerry on the first one we drop!
A B2 would not be able to take off with that bomb load.
Zell miller was right. The dems want us to fight wars with spitballs.
“Would someone familiar with weapons development explain to me why it takes so long to figure out how to hang ordnance on an existing aircraft?”
The explanation of the retrofitting issue is in the story, contained in the description of the bunker-busters vs the bomber bays as they are presently configured. The only delay now - since the engineering has now been worked out - is Congress is intentionally playing politics, playing “Congressional foreign policy”, with the money.
In that process the only thing they are achieving is reassuring the Iranian Mullahs that their bunkers will be safe as long as the Dims are in charge.
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