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30,000-Lb. Bomb On Fast Track For Deployment
coondoggie writes "Published reports today say the Pentagon is rattling swords in the direction of North Korea and Iran by speeding the development a 20-foot, 30,000-lb bomb known as Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This weapon is intended to annihilate underground bunkers and other hardened sites (read: long-range missile or underground nuke development) up to 200 ft. underground. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which has overseen the development of this monster since 2007, says it is designed to be carried aboard B-2 and B-52 bombers and deployed at high altitudes, from which it would strike the ground at speeds well beyond twice the speed of sound to penetrate the below-ground target." Reuters has more specifics on the MOP's chances for deployment by 2010, and the detail that the bomb's load of explosives weighs in at 5,300 lbs.
Just because the military says it's under development, doesn't mean it'll make it by then, or that it's true. Granted, this doesn't seem that difficult, but whenever I see a statement from the military (any military) I automatically question its truthfulness.
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N. Korea's regime is a puss-filled boil on the face of humanity but I don't think it's an "appropriate approach" to use an international treaty as toilet paper just to give their tin-pot dictator a taste of reality.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
Now the US can bomb even more civilian bunkers to bits than they did in the Iraq war!
The constant aggression from the US is the biggest reason theese countries tries to get nuclear arms.
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This kind of bomb is pure stupidity. Remember the MOAB? Pure stupid. This is macho jock thinking, military style. "Mine's bigger than yours!" Pure political bullshit.
We already have bombs big enough to destroy almost anything above ground. As for underground targets - well, I've been convinced by a number of people that even a nuke may not take out a hardened underground bunker if it's buried 100 feet or more. Both Korea and Iran have terrain in which a bunker might be much deeper than 500 feet.
Follow the link, and read the first sentence: "the Pentagon is rattling swords". That one phrase in the first sentence sums it all up.
Well, I guess they have to make up for other inadequacies in some way.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
If Gore Vidal is even remotely right it appears we've selected a combination of terrorism and South Korea to distract the public from rational thought and local politics. I wonder what the fire-drill's like for bunker busting nuclear ordinance?
Quack, quack.
This weapon is intended to annihilate underground bunkers and other hardened sites (read: long-range missile or underground nuke development)
Or civilian refuges, given the case.
And education?
And housing?
Once everything is done and dusted, who will be better off? Who will be worst off? (hint: politicians and CEOs of companies enriching itselves with the fat contracts are not going to be the ones harmed in another round of military adventurism).
When are USians going to wake up and smell the coffee?
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
And other than Hussein being a jerk, it was working--there's no evidence Iraq actually HAD any WMDs. The US just fabricated that story so they could go to war and depose Hussein. All while claiming to be "the good guys".
People are never as simple as their stereotypes. This applies equally to Christians, Muslims, and Emacs-lovers.
Personally, I'm still sniggering at it being called a "penetrator". Compensation much?
Um ... no. You realize "penetrate" has meaning completely separate from sexual acts, right?
Especially given that for hardened targets deep underground, kinetic bombardment is probably a more appropriate approach.
I see. Maybe the Pentagon should hire you instead.
You are an idiot.
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?