The US weapons are not capable of destroying Iran’s underground facilities, and wide efforts are being made to fortify these weapons, the Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as saying.
The US weapons are not capable of destroying Iran’s underground facilities, and wide efforts are being made to fortify these weapons, the Wall Street Journal quoted US officials as saying.
“The 30,000-pound "bunker-buster" bomb, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, was specifically designed to take out the hardened for
tifications built by Iran and North Korea to cloak their nuclear programs,” the US daily reported, indicating that “the bomb, as currently configured, wouldn't be capable of destroying some of Iran's facilities, either because of their depth or because Tehran has added new fortifications to protect them.
The paper pointed out that “doubts about the MOP's effectiveness prompted the Pentagon this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb's ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding.”
Quoting the US officials, the Wall Street Journal further explained that “this push is part of the stepped-up contingency planning for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear program,” stating that “the Defense Department has spent about $330 million so far to develop about 20 of the bombs.”
In parallel, the paper quoted Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as reassuring the bomb’s shortcomings against some of Iran's deepest bunkers.
"We're still trying to develop them," Panetta added.
