Smile, you GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator you! Or like I like to call you: Mr. Holmes, the 30,000-pound (13.6 metric tons) precision-guided bunker buster. That’s 25,000 pounds heavier than the largest bunker-buster available.
The US Air Force said yesterday that they are going to buy an arsenal of these bombs, which will be incorporated into the B-2A bomber fleet. Manufactured by Boeing, they are designed to destroy any bunker buried under ground, so you know these are designed for the Kim Jong-Ils, Bin Ladens, and Ahmadinejads of this world. If you fall into any of these three categories, mark your calendars now: The Holmes will reach operational status in June 2012.
The GPS-guided GBU-57A/B has a 2.7 metric ton high explosive warhead, and can penetrate 200 feet (60 meters) of 5,000 psi reinforced concrete, 26 feet (8 meters) of 10,000 psis reinforced concrete, or 130 feet (40 meters) of moderately hard rock. [The Dew Line and Wikipedia]
