Bunker Busters: Can They Crack Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Fortress?

As Israel intensifies its efforts to neutralize Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility, nestled two hours from Tehran, stands as a formidable challenge. Buried deep within a rocky mountainside, this site is a linchpin in Iran’s nuclear program, potentially capable of producing a nuclear warhead in mere days.

Bunker busters, munitions engineered to penetrate layers of earth, rock, and concrete before detonating, are central to discussions about dismantling Fordow. These bombs leverage gravity to burrow underground, either obliterating their target or collapsing the surrounding structure. Israel possesses 2,000- and 5,000-pound variants, but the U.S. holds the trump card: the 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), designed explicitly for deeply buried targets like Fordow.

Jonathan Ruhe, a foreign policy expert, explained that Fordow’s depth—estimated between 60 and 90 meters, though some claim up to 800 meters—makes it a tough nut to crack. The MOP, deployable by a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, can penetrate up to 200 feet. To tackle Fordow’s extreme fortification, a ‘burrowing’ technique would be used, with multiple MOPs dropped in succession to bore deeper into the site. However, the facility’s narrow exit tunnels and rugged terrain demand pinpoint precision.

Israel, renowned for its tactical ingenuity, could opt for alternative strategies. A salvo of 5,000-pound bunker busters, delivered by F-15s escorted by F-35s, might disrupt Fordow’s operations, though with less impact than the MOP. A daring commando raid, while unlikely, isn’t off the table. Ruhe notes that Israel’s goal might be to delay Fordow’s operations—perhaps by disabling power to its centrifuges or polluting the air—rather than total destruction, which aligns with the U.S.’s more aggressive aim of obliterating targets.

The stakes are high. Fordow is a critical piece of Iran’s nuclear puzzle, but neutralizing it is only part of the broader challenge to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. As tensions simmer, the world watches whether diplomacy or firepower will shape the outcome.