GBU-57 Bomb

Full Specifications

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bomb

The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, known as the MOP, is the most powerful conventional bunker-busting bomb in the U.S. arsenal. Designed to defeat deeply buried and heavily reinforced underground facilities, it gives the United States a unique capability to hold hardened strategic targets at risk without using nuclear weapons.

Developed in the mid 2000s, the weapon was created to address emerging threats posed by fortified command centers and suspected weapons facilities built deep underground.

Manufacturer and Origin

The GBU-57 was developed by Boeing for the United States Air Force. It is produced in the United States and integrated primarily on long range strategic bombers.

Speed, Range, and Capability

The GBU-57 is a precision guided gravity bomb equipped with GPS guidance. It is released from high altitude bombers, including the B-2 Spirit and, following upgrades, the B-52 Stratofortress.

Once released, it follows a ballistic trajectory toward its target. The weapon does not have its own propulsion system. Its range depends on release altitude and aircraft speed, typically allowing stand off employment from high altitude.

Weighing roughly 30,000 pounds, the bomb uses a hardened steel casing designed to penetrate deep into reinforced concrete or rock before detonation. Its warhead is a high explosive penetrator optimized for underground targets.

Cost

Exact unit cost figures are not publicly confirmed, but estimates suggest several million dollars per weapon, reflecting its size, specialized casing, and guidance system.

FAQs