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Pentagon: 30,000 Pound Bomb Too Small

Posted by Soulskill on from the go-big-or-go-home dept.

smitty777 writes "According to the Pentagon, the 30,000-pound, precision-guided Massive Ordnance Penetrator GBU-57 bomb is just too small. Concerns around Iran's fortification of their nuclear program facilities has the DoD seeking from Congress something not quite as subdued as the GBU-57, the largest non-nuke bomb operated by the USAF. This 'smaller' bomb just recently won a prize for its ability to cut through 60 feet of concrete. The upgrades will cost $82 million on top of the $330 million spent so far to develop the system. There is some interesting high speed camera footage of the GBU-57 in the video below."

14 of 612 comments (clear)

  1. No, no, no! by ForgedArtificer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Light speed's too slow! We'll have to go straight to.... Ludicrous Speed!

    --
    The right to offend is central to the right to free speech.
    1. Re:No, no, no! by Gilmoure · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm surrounded by Assholes!

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      I drank what? -- Socrates
    2. Re:No, no, no! by Dishevel · · Score: 5, Funny

      They are not just building the bigger bomb for money.
      The are doing it for a SHIT LOAD of money!

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      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
    3. Re:No, no, no! by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 5, Funny

      A MIL-SPEC photon would have the weight of a neutron.

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      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
  2. entirely coincidentally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Coincidentally, the construction plans for Iran's entirely peaceful nuclear facilities are being modified to require at least 120 feet of concrete covering to protect them from terrorist attacks and tsunamis.

  3. prizes? I just want to see the competition by DynamoJoe · · Score: 4, Funny
    This 'smaller' bomb just recently won a prize for its ability to cut through 60 feet of concrete

    A prize like the X-Prize or something? A) who hands out prizes for stuff like this and B) where to I apply to be a judge?

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    bah.
    1. Re:prizes? I just want to see the competition by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 5, Funny

      >> who hands out prizes for stuff like this

      The Association of Iranian Concrete Manufacturers

  4. Re:The name of the bomb is "Massive" by DigiShaman · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's what she said.

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    Life is not for the lazy.
  5. Proposed Backronyms... by bughunter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's call it the Mountainous Occluded Fortification Ordinance.

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    I can see the fnords!
  6. Re:The name of the bomb is "Massive" by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

    And after that will come the Mother In Law Of All Bombs

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    which is totally what she said
  7. Good Lord, people by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    You already have a giant phallic bomb called a MASSIVE (ordnance) PENETRATOR and it's not good enough for you? Does everyone in the Pentagon have such a small penis or is it just the people in charge of purchasing?

    1. Re:Good Lord, people by forkfail · · Score: 4, Funny

      I guess all the Cialis and Extends commercials, and "get bigger" spam campaigns work well on military brass...

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      Check your premises.
  8. Re:1984 much? by RightSaidFred99 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This time it's Obama, though. He's different. He makes people feel good about themselves for voting for him, so he can't possibly be a warmongerer.

  9. Re:Point being? by jd2112 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Perhaps they should load the cargo bay with pallets of $100 bills. Dropping those on the enemy might be cheaper and more destructive than dropping bombs. Of course the defense industry would complain that the dept. of engraving and printing was getting a no bid contract on munitions.

    --
    Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.