US President Donald Trump told the defense officials that any military strike on Iranian deeply buried uranium enrichment facility would only make sense if the so-called bunker bunker “-GBU-57 massive penetrator (MOP) should be guaranteed.
The GBU-57, a colossal bomb of 13.6 tons (£ 30,000), is designed to penetrate the hardened underground facilities, and the Pentagon experts assured Trump that the abandon of these bombs would effectively eliminate Fordow.
However, Trump remains unconvincing and delayed the permission of any blows in Iran, instead he waited for the threat of US military involvement Iran could bring back to the negotiating table.
The debate on the effectiveness of the GBU-57 has been a controversial problem since the beginning of Donald Trump in the Pentagon.
Defense officials have expressed doubts that even several conventional GBU-57 bombs could fully penetrate and destroy Iranian Fordow, estimating Israeli intelligence at a funeral of up to 300 feet (approximately 90 meters) below the mountain.
According to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), conventional bombs could only collapse tunnels and buried the device under a little than to completely neutralize it.
Some officials believe that only a tactical nuclear weapon could guarantee the destruction of the Fordow, but US President Trump explicitly excluded the use of nuclear weapons and such possibilities were not submitted by Defense Minister Pete Hegseth or chairman of the common chiefs of the General Staff of Dan Caine.
Briefing also revealed that the possible strategy of destroying the Fordow would first include the “softening” of the country with conventional bombs before deploying a tactical nuclear weapon from the bomber B-2 to smooth the whole place, Guardian reports.
However, this scenario remains off the table due to the firm attitude of Trump against nuclear use.
The GBU-57, which has been tested extensively, remains the largest conventional bomb in the American arsenal, which is able to penetrate fortified underground goals, but its restrictions on deep-buried places such as Fordow raised serious concerns.
Trump’s public attitude toward Iran’s hit in the middle of Israel’s conflict
When the reporters asked about the opportunity to strike the Iranian nuclear facility, Donald Trump was deliberately ambiguous and said, “I can’t say it … You don’t really think I will answer this question.”
He added, “You don’t know I will even do it. You don’t know it. Maybe I’ll do it, maybe I’ll not do it. I think no one knows what I’m going to do.” Trump stressed that Iran was facing “many problems” and expressed frustration that Tehran had not been looking for negotiations before and said, “Why have you dealt with me before – all this death and destruction?”
Despite the uncertainty of the US military movement, they suggest preparations for possible air raids over long distances.
Over 31 Air Force aircraft, including KC-135 and Pegasus Air Force, KC-35 stratotankers have been monitored to and beyond Europe, indicating logistics support for extended bombers.
The B-2 Spirit Stealth bomber, which is able to carry two GBU-57 bombs and boast of approximately 6,000 miles without replenishing, is the only aircraft certified to supply a mop.
B-2, known for its secret skills and ability to penetrate sophisticated air defense, usually works from foundations such as Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, Fairford in Gloucestershire or Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean-Druhý is strategically closer to Iran.
In October 2024, the B-2 strikes on the underground weapons Houthi from Whiteman AFB, showing their ability to accurate long distance strikes. The proximity of Diego Garcia to the Fordow, about 3,200 miles away, would allow the B-2 to achieve the goal with support for refilling on the return foot.
Challenge Fordow and bombs GBU-57
Fuel enrichment race is one of the two main places for enrichment of uranium uranium, carved deep to the mountain near Qom. It is estimated that it lies 80 to 90 meters below the ground, protected by hundreds of tracks of rocks and reinforced concrete, which is highly resistant to conventional air strikes.
Israeli weapons, including the GBU-28 and Blu-109 Bunker-Buster Bombs, lack the penetration ability to reach the depths of the Ford and leave the American GBU-57 as the only conventional ammunition capable of potentially destroy the equipment.
The MOP GBU-57 weighs £ 30,000, with approximately £ 6,000 high explosives closed in hard steel shells designed for an explosion by layers of rocks and concrete. Equipped with a system of accurate GPS targeting and a delayed action fuse, up to 200 feet underground can penetrate before launching.
Despite their great design, experts warn that the bomb may not completely destroy the Fordow due to the unknown accurate depth of the equipment and possible other underground structures.
What is Iran Fordow?
Fordow is an enriched uranium enrichment facility located near Qom in Central Iran. It is built inside the mountain and covers approximately 54,000 square feet and receives approximately 3,000 centrifuges used to enrich uranium.
Its underground placement, estimated at 80 to 90 meters (about 300 feet) below the surface, provides natural protection against conventional air strikes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Fordwow remains functional and undamaged by recent Israeli attacks, making it a critical part of the Iranian nuclear program and a key goal for possible military interventions aimed at limiting the Nuclear ambitions of Tehran.
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