“Bunker Buster Bombs” Dropped on Iran: What Tri-Citians Need to Know

There has been a lot of information out recently about the strikes on Iran with the Bunker Buster Bombs. Many people are wondering what is different about these bombs compared to other more traditional bombs.

Here are a few things found to clear up the confusion.

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bombs were built specifically to penetrate

These aren't your average bombs. We're talking about the GBU-57 MOP – that's Massive Ordnance Penetrator – a 30,000-pound behemoth designed to dig deep into the earth or concrete before exploding.

Reports suggest these weren't just tests; they were apparently used on Iranian nuclear sites like Fordo, which is buried way underground in a mountain. The idea was to deliver a "knockout blow" to their nuclear program.

Can you imagine the power? It's literally built to smash through what we think of as impenetrable.

Our stealthy B-2 bombers, the only planes that can even carry these things, reportedly dropped 14 of them!

Get our free mobile app

This operation, apparently called "Midnight Hammer," sounds like something out of a movie, complete with decoy planes and deep-strike capabilities.

While official reports claim "severe damage," Iran is denying it, which isn't surprising. But satellite photos of craters at Fordo suggest something definitely happened.

This whole situation just feels incredibly tense.

It’s a stark reminder of the immense power our military possesses and the complexities of global conflicts.

As a community member, it makes me wonder about the long-term ripple effects of such actions. We need to stay informed and keep these conversations going, because what happens overseas always finds its way back home, one way or another.

What is this action costing the United States Taxpayers?

That's a fantastic and important question, because the cost of these weapons is staggering, and it's something we, as taxpayers, directly contribute to.

From what I've been seeing in recent reports, a single GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb is estimated to cost around $20 million. Yes, you heard that right – twenty million dollars for just one bomb!

Now, if the reports are true that 14 of these bombs were used in the recent strikes on Iran, that alone would put the cost of the bombs dropped at roughly $280 million.

And that's just the bomb itself. We also have to consider the cost of the aircraft that carries them: the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

These are incredibly expensive machines, with estimates of their cost per aircraft ranging from $1.2 billion to over $2.2 billion.

While we already own these planes, the operational costs of deploying them, including fuel for multi-day, globe-spanning missions, maintenance, and the highly trained personnel, add significantly to the overall expense.

So, when you consider the cost of the bombs themselves, plus the immense cost of maintaining and operating these highly specialized stealth bombers, we're looking at a substantial financial outlay.

Considering Reports that indicate that the recent military parade in Washington D.C., which coincided with President Trump's birthday, had an estimated cost to taxpayers between $25 million and $45 million. We are certainly racking up the debt! 

While pinpointing an exact "total cost" for a specific operation is complex and often includes classified elements, it's clear that the deployment of weapons like the GBU-57 represents a very significant investment of taxpayer dollars.

It's something we should all be aware of when we discuss our national defense, foreign policy, and national debt.

Sure, we want to keep our country safe, so that should be taken into account for sure. But, with retaliation imminent, did we just make things worse?

It's hard to know. These are not questions we can answer immediately, but it is important to be aware and informed.

READ MORE