Pentagon building new 15 ton bomb.

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SpudmanWP

The Bunker Group
The MOP is NOT designed to replace the MOAB.

The MOAB is designed to blow stuff up at the surface and the MOP is designed to penetrate deep underground before detonating.

They cannot do each other's job.
 
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F-15 Eagle

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
SpudmanWP said:
The MOP is NOT designed to replace the MOAB.

The MOAB is designed to blow stuff up at the surface and the MOP is designed to penetrate deep underground before detonating.

They cannot do each other's job.
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Oh ok I thought the article hinted at the MOB replacing something but I guess not. Maybe they can build a MOB for surface missions?

Crusader2000 said:
I am sure Israel is already twisting arms.......;)
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Maybe they will buy a few?:D
 
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turin

New Member
There is no way for Israel to use it, simple as that. This thing weights 15 tons and the Israelis do not have any platform to use it from. They cannot just buy a B-2. If the MOP sees any use, it also means that the US would have to directly participate in a strike against Iran.

Maybe they can build a MOB for surface missions?
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Why would they do that? Thats exactly what the MOAB is intended for, which in itself is a very recent weapons system.

The MOP does not directly replace anything, its an entirely new system, as far as scale is concerned. Of course operationally it would "replace" any penetrator in the current inventory deemed insufficient for a specific mission (which in most cases would be the GBU-28).
 
K

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Actually, with the size of that thing, even the USAF would have to clean every protuding part out of the bomb bay of a B-2.

FAS speculated a couple years ago that MOP / DSHTW / Big Blue could be used as a penetrating case for a low-yield neutron weapon, although i find that unlikely. The penetration that MOP offers is quite seriously not enough to take out any really deep embedded bunkers, even if they saturate the ground to a depth twice as deep with gamma rays for a bit.
 
G

GimpGump

New Member
F-15 Eagle said:
Production of 15-ton bunker buster sped up - Military News, News From Iraq & Afghanistan - Military Times

Looks like they are speeding up the production and development of a new bunker busting non-nuclear bomb. 10 times more powerful than the "MOAB" its designed to replace. Check it out.
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Hehe, it might just be a 'revenge', as the Russians recently dropped the FOAB (Father Of All Bombs) and pushed the MOAB off the throne for the most damage done by a non-nuclear bomb..

But by simply looking at the word 'MOP' it would be more suitable to swipe clean the surface:crazy
 
Z

ZPU2

New Member
turin said:
There is no way for Israel to use it, simple as that. This thing weights 15 tons and the Israelis do not have any platform to use it from. They cannot just buy a B-2. If the MOP sees any use, it also means that the US would have to directly participate in a strike against Iran.



Why would they do that? Thats exactly what the MOAB is intended for, which in itself is a very recent weapons system.

The MOP does not directly replace anything, its an entirely new system, as far as scale is concerned. Of course operationally it would "replace" any penetrator in the current inventory deemed insufficient for a specific mission (which in most cases would be the GBU-28).
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If that weapon can be loaded in a C-130, i don't see the problem to provide terminal guidance from another source. Besides that it seems to be a very powerful weapon against tunnels networks or deep structures. Rethinking the Grand Slam of Sir Barnes Wallis and its seismic effect?
 
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Kilo 2-3

New Member
Is there any reason why there's been no push to integrate this weapon on the B-52?

The Buff should have the bomb load to carry it and seems to be a suitable delivery platform. Unless the target is well-protected by an IADS, there seems to be no reason to favor the B-2 over the B-52.
 
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elgatoso

New Member
Pentagon acknowledge that the new bomb is intended to destroy fortified sites like those used by Iran and North Korea for their nuclear programs, but they deny there is a specific target in mind.
The Pentagon has awarded a nearly $52 million contract to speed up placement of the bomb aboard the B-2 Stealth bomber, and say the bomb could be fielded as soon as next summer.
The new U.S. bomb would be the culmination of planning begun in the Bush years.
 
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elgatoso

New Member
Kilo 2-3 said:
Is there any reason why there's been no push to integrate this weapon on the B-52?

The Buff should have the bomb load to carry it and seems to be a suitable delivery platform. Unless the target is well-protected by an IADS, there seems to be no reason to favor the B-2 over the B-52.
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They are supposed to hit really well protected sites.Nuclear facilities,command bunkers,etc
 
M

Marc 1

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
Kilo 2-3 said:
I do agree. I was just thinking if another Tora Bora situtation occured, that it might pay off to have the B-52 also have this capability.
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Why spend money on integrating it with the B-52? The B2 could be used over Afg if the need arose - and direct from Mountain Home AFB with sufficient IFR assets.
 
M

muir

New Member
GimpGump said:
Hehe, it might just be a 'revenge', as the Russians recently dropped the FOAB (Father Of All Bombs) and pushed the MOAB off the throne for the most damage done by a non-nuclear bomb..

But by simply looking at the word 'MOP' it would be more suitable to swipe clean the surface:crazy
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so...bombs got fathers & mothers...how about the orphans of the third world??!;) now some othr countey's gonna make some 'uncle's of bombs too>>?!:p:
 
S

Spetsznaz

New Member
But cant Isreal have some sort off transport plane that can carry the weight and who knows they might have some type of bomber to that degreee
 
K

Kilo 2-3

New Member
Spetsznaz said:
But cant Isreal have some sort off transport plane that can carry the weight and who knows they might have some type of bomber to that degreee
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Err...

Yes, a transport plane can carry this bomb (in fact airlifters were the only planes large enough to carry the heavy and bulky MOAD, IIRC). The problem is, this plane is going to be slow-moving and a potentially very vulnerable target to any enterprising person with a SAM. Not exactly an ideal delivery platform if you want to penetrate an IADS.

And as a far as I know, Israel has never had a strategic bomber and they never will. Their foreign policy is focused on their immediate surroundings in the Middle East, rather than on bombing the bejeezus out of some country on the other side of the globe. And there's no way a fighter jets' going to carry that kind of load.
 
K

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Kilo 2-3 said:
And as a far as I know, Israel has never had a strategic bomber and they never will.
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Israel operated three B-17G in the '48 and '56 wars, scrapped in 1961 along with the rest of the original fleet as new French fighter-bombers were introduced with the IAF.
 
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