U.S. Stockpiles Powerful Bunker-Buster Bombs In Case Iran Nuclear Talks Fail

[Purveyor]

Source: Los Angeles Times

As diplomats rush to reach an agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program, the U.S. military is stockpiling conventional bombs so powerful that strategists say they could cripple Tehran's most heavily fortified nuclear complexes, including one deep underground.

--CLIP
U.S. officials say the huge bombs, which have never been used in combat, are a crucial element in the White House deterrent strategy and contingency planning should diplomacy go awry and Iran seek to develop a nuclear bomb.

--CLIP
U.S. officials have publicized the new bomb partly to rattle the Iranians. Some Pentagon officials warned not to underestimate U.S. military capabilities even if the bunker-busters can't eliminate Iran's nuclear program.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested at the same Pentagon news conference Thursday that airstrikes might be ordered multiple times if Iran tries to build a bomb.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-pentagon-iran-20150704-story.html#page=1

[Historic NY]

1. They have been used...

The fourth day of US-led air strikes in Afghanistan has seen an apparent increase in intensity, suggesting that an additional type of weapon is now in use - highly destructive "bunker busters".

The US has declared it has air supremacy, so military commanders will now be turning their attention from surface targets to the fortified networks of caves and bunkers thought to be used by the Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban rulers.

On Thursday, reports suggest that powerful bombs capable of pile driving themselves through many metres of earth, concrete or rock before exploding are now being used against these hardened targets.

There is much speculation that ground forces, supported by helicopters, may soon be in action. But the perils of this are substantial and missiles and bombs are likely to remain the primary means of attack in the short term.

The most likely candidate for the large explosions reported is the laser guided GBU-28 "Bunker Buster". This was developed in record time during the Gulf War. It consists of a 2000 kilogram warhead with a reinforced frame that enables it to penetrate seven metres in concrete or 30 metres into earth.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1420-bunker-busters-enter-action-in-afghanistan.html#.VZdKhvmTMmI


Its this weapon they must be talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Ordnance_Penetrator

[-none]

2. When are we going too learn to stop making enemies we then think we have to fight?

The Iranians are are our doings in the first place. They used to be our friends.

[FairWinds]

3. Yeah, nothing quite like the threat of force . .

to advance the cause of peace.

As a Vietnam vet, I am increasingly ashamed of my country.

And that is why I joined Veterans For Peace

[Fred Sanders]

6. It is a B.S. article...The warmongers are getting desperate and imaginative.

America has more bombs of infinite varities than it knows what to do with.

A trillion dollar a year military budget is 100 times that of Iran...we get it..America has the ability to kill anyone, anywhere...how fucking awesome.

America Stockpile Bombs Because.....that is what America does.

[cstanleytech]

8. Its just a bit of saber rattling because even Obama is quoted as saying that

these cannot stop Iran from building a nuke if it want and that it would just can delay them a bit.
Hopefully though a peaceful agreement will be reached, hell I hope Iran agrees to give up nuclear power plants altogether followed by the rest of the world because its just a dangerous means of generating electricity that makes coal and oil power look good.

[ChiefJusticeIV]

13. Yup this article is crap

The U.S. military already has all the weapons it needs. This article only means something if there is an outright threat to use bunker busters immideately if talks fail.

[burrowowl]

4. Jesus H. Christ!

When will we ever learn?
Those bombs are war crimes!

[EX500rider]

7. "Those bombs are war crimes!"

How is a bomb designed to penetrate a hardened underground military bunker a "war crime"?

[burrowowl]

11. They suck the air out

of the surrounding area and kill everything in that are requiring air to breath!

[EX500rider]

12. As opposed to killing with high explosives or shrapnel like most bombs?

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. We would start a war with Iran in the name of peace. That's just like us.

[cstanleytech]

9. If we havent started one with North Korea I doubt we will start one with Iran atleast as long as

there is a democratic as president.

[Thor_MN]

10. Stockpiling? WTF does even mean?

It's not like there is steady production and we are building up inventory at an emergency pace. Bullshit article designed to inspire fear.