Building a Better Bunker Buster

By Evan Applegate and Steve Komarow

Iran and North Korea bury their nuclear weapons programs deep in the earth to avoid attack. The latest answer from the Air Force: the MOP, or Massive Ordnance Penetrator—a “bunker buster” far more powerful than its predecessors. At 30,000 pounds, the satellite-guided bomb, made by Boeing, is so heavy only huge B-52 and B-2 bombers can carry it. Dropped from high altitude, it smashes through concrete reinforcements before exploding, destroying fortified underground facilities. A guide to the Pentagon’s subterranean arsenal.

Graphic by Bloomberg Businessweek. Data: Dept. of Defense, Globalsecurity.org

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