MASSIVE NEW CONVENTIONAL WEAPON READY: USAF's new 30,000 pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator [formerly known as Big BLU] being fitting for use on B-2 Stealth Bombers. This could be THE weapon to use against Iran's underground nuclear facilities to DE

In the past, I've posted about the U.S. Air Force's program to develop
"Big BLU", a 30,000 pound bunker buster MUCH more capable than the old
GBU-28. back then Big BLU was just in development. Now it's almost
ready.



http://www.domain-b.com/aero/july/20...enetration.htm

New 'deep penetration' 30,000 lb mega-bomb will MOP up the enemy
24 July 2007

The bat-winged B-2 stealth bomber will soon be capable of carrying a
30,000-pound (13.6 tonne) super-bomb that could obliterate heavily
reinforced facilities like bunkers or deeply buried targets like
underground nuclear installations. Defence manufacturer Northrop
Grumman has a seven-month, $2.5 million Air Force contract to make the
bomber capable of carrying two of these new mega-bombs in its weapons
bay.

Called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) this enormous piece of
ordnance is being developed by the Boeing Company. The mega-bomb will
have more than 5,300 pounds (2.4 tonnes) of explosives, encased in a
20.5 foot hardened steel casing which makes it capable of penetrating
and destroying deeply buried targets like tunnels, bunkers, etc.

With more than 10 times the explosive power of its bunker-busting
predecessor, the BLU-109, MOP will be a smart device, precision-guided
by global positioning system (GPS) based navigation to zero in on the
target. The Air Force wants to use the bomb with both the veteran B-52
and the B-2 stealth bombers. Part of the reason for the new mega-bomb
is to ensure that bomber aircraft will remain a strategic and tactical
weapon system over the next 50 years, providing a steady stream of
lucrative contracts for defence manufacturers.

The bat-like B-2s will require two major modifications, each costing
about $1 billion, to be able to successfully deliver the MOP. Work is
underway in the Antelope Valley, where the bombers were produced and
where around 1,000 Northrop Grumman employees still work on the B-2.

A new radar antenna called the active electronically scanned array
will be installed on B-2 bombers over the next five years. This will
avoid conflicts with the Ku Band frequency spectrum, which the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has opened up for commercial
transmissions. The second change is a new satellite communications
link that offers 50 times greater bandwidth for receiving and sharing
data.

Northrop Grumman has earlier made other upgrades. For example, it
installed a smart-bomb rack assembly that allowed the B-2 to deliver
80 independently guided 500-pound bombs, five times more than
previously. It also developed a special surface coating that makes for
easier maintenance.


.......................................

B-2 Bomber with Massive Penetrator weapon

July 23, 2007 Just how important does someone have to be to have their
own 30,000 pound bomb delivered by a billion dollar aircraft? We'll
soon know. We have written about the Massive Penetrator weapon before
here and detailed the awesome firepower and effectively infinite range
of the US$1.157 billion B-2 here. The B-2 is a multi-role bomber
capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions through
previously impenetrable defenses. The B-2's low-observable
technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency, large payload and an
unrefueled range of approximately 6,000 nautical miles (9,600
kilometers) give it the unique ability to penetrate an enemy's most
sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily
defended, targets.

Now, in a move that's certain to displease enemies of the state,
they're getting the two together - anytime, anywhere and now any depth
destruction.

Northrop Grumman, the Air Force's prime contractor on the B-2, is
doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million contract awarded June
1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright Patterson
AFB, Ohio.

The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

The current contract will focus on adapting the B-2's weapon bay
fixtures to accommodate the new weapon. The B-2 is currently equipped
to carry up to 40,000 pounds of conventional ordnance.


.......................

http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroo....html?d=123187

http://www.bitsofnews.com/content/view/5880/

A little noticed July 19, 2007 press release from aerospace and
defense conglomerate Northrop Grumman reveals that the company is
undertaking the task of refitting a number of the US Air Force's B-2
Stealth Bombers with new bomb racks able to hold and deliver the
Boeing produced 30,000 pound (13,600 kg) Massive Ordnance Penetrator
(MOP) bunker busting bomb.

http://www.bitsofnews.com/images/gra...intro300px.jpg

PALMDALE, Calif., July 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air
Force's B-2 stealth bomber would be able to attack and destroy an
expanded set of hardened, deeply buried military targets using a new
30,000 pound-class penetrator weapon that Northrop Grumman has begun
integrating on the aircraft.

The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million
contract awarded June 1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems
Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.
[...]
The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

(Click for larger image)The weapon is substantially larger than the
previously deepest penetrating bunker buster, the 5000 lb (2,270 kg)
GBU-28. It joins a select arsenal of massive non-nuclear bombs along
side the famous "Daisycutter", the 15,000 pound BLU-82 bomb designed
originally to create clearings in the Vietnam jungle to enable
helicopters to put down, and which had a lethality radius of 300
metres, and the so called Mother Of All Bombs, the 30 ft (9.17 m)
long, 21,000 pound (9.5 metric tonnes) GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air
Blast (MOAB), the hitherto most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever
designed.

http://www.bitsofnews.com/images/gra...bomb_large.jpg


There has of course been much chatter lately that any air strikes
intended to knock out, or set back the Iranian nuclear program,
located at hardened underground facilities such as Natanz, would
require the use of either small tactical nuclear devices, or
conventional explosive bombs of a size and design hitherto never
before used, like the MOP.

Of course, planning, and even preparing for a contingency, does not in
itself imply any decision to launch an attack. But it might be prudent
on the part of the Iranian leadership to dig a little deeper, both in
the diplomatic bag, and in a very real and concrete sense.

...............


Northrop Grumman Begins Work to Equip B-2 Bomber with Massive
Penetrator Weapon
PALMDALE, Calif., July 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air
Force's B-2 stealth bomber would be able to attack and destroy an
expanded set of hardened, deeply buried military targets using a new
30,000 pound-class penetrator weapon that Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC)
has begun integrating on the aircraft.


The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million
contract awarded June 1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems
Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor on the B-2, the
flagship of the nation's long-range strike arsenal.

The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

"This integration contract is part of Northrop Grumman's on-going
effort to ensure that the B-2 remains capable of delivering a decisive
blow to an increasingly sophisticated enemy," said Dave Mazur, vice
president of long-range strike for the company's Integrated Systems
sector. "It is the first step in helping the Air Force make this new
weapon available for operational use on the B-2."

According to Mazur, the Air Force is expected to make a decision later
this year on whether to develop a limited operational capability for
the MOP, or to proceed with a more comprehensive development program
that would optimize the weapon's operational utility.

The current contract will focus on adapting the B-2's weapon bay
fixtures to accommodate the new weapon. The B-2 is currently equipped
to carry up to 40,000 pounds of conventional ordnance. It can be
configured, for example, to carry up to 80 500-lb class GPS-guided
bombs or 36 750-lb class bombs in its smart bomb rack assembly, or up
to 16 2,000-lb class weapons in its rotary launch assembly.

Integration of the MOP on the B-2 is the latest in a series of
modernization programs that Northrop Grumman and its subcontractors
have undertaken with the Air Force to ensure that the aircraft remains
fully capable against evolving threats. Other recent or current B-2
modernization programs include:

-- A "smart" bomb rack assembly that allows the aircraft to deliver 80
independently-targeted, 500-lb. smart weapons, five times more than
previously;

-- Application of a specially formulated surface coating that has
significantly reduced B-2 maintenance time and improved operational
readiness;

-- Installation of a line-of-sight tactical communications system that
improves B-2 pilots' ability to share critical targeting and threat
information and maintain real-time awareness of the battlespace; and

-- Installation of an advanced electronically scanned array antenna
designed to enable more advanced imaging capabilities in the future.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the most survivable aircraft
in the world. It remains the only long-range, large-payload aircraft
that can penetrate deeply into protected airspace. In concert with the
Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control,
and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the
B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the
world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more
than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it
the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

Northrop Grumman is a $30 billion global defense and technology
company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products,
and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and
shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.


................................

OLD ARTICLE ON THE Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)
Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon / Big BLU

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ions/dshtw.htm


Boeing's Phantom Works is leading the effort to demonstrate the
Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). The three-phase technology
demonstration builds on design studies that Boeing had conducted for
the laboratory. Flight testing is envisaged around 2006. The 6 m [20
feet] long MOP features short-span wings and trellis-type tails. The
13,600 kg [30,000 lb] weapon contains a 2,700 kg [6,000 lb] explosive
charge. MOP is designed to go deeper than any nuclear bunker buster
and take out 25 percent of the underground and deeply buried targets.
It is expected to penetrate as much as 60 meters [200 feet] through
5,000 psi reinforced concrete. It will burrow 8 meters into the ground
through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete. Northrop Grumman is working on
with Boeing to develop this conventional bunker buster. They are under
contract to Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate at
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

While complete physical destruction may be desired, for some hard and
deeply buried targets this effect isn't practicable with current
weapons and employment techniques. It may be possible, however, to
deny or disrupt the mission or function of a facility. Functional
defeat is facilitated through better data collection and intelligence
preparation against the potential targets. The defeat process includes
finding and identifying a facility, characterizing its function and
physical layout, determining its vulnerabilities to available weapons,
planning an attack, applying force, assessing damage, and, if
necessary, suppressing reconstitution efforts and re-striking the
facility. New more lethal defeat options for Hard and Deeply Buried
Targets (HDBTs) like the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, that can
overwhelm target characterization uncertainties, are being developed
and demonstrated to provide a 10x increase in weapon lethality and
improved penetration capability compared to inventory weapons.

The Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon was described in 1997 as a 20,000
lb. class precision guided, adverse weather, direct attack bomb
employed on the B-52 and B-2 aircraft. It will make use of the GCU
developed by the JDAM program which uses GPS aided INS for adverse
weather guidance. Precision accuracy will be attained by using
differential GPS (DGPS) technology demonstrated on programs such as
Enhanced Differential GPS for Guidance Enhancement (EDGE) and
Miniature Munition Technology Demonstration (MMTD). The weapon will
make use of the JDAM interface under development for the B-52 and B-2
aircraft and would be carried internally using new suspension hardware
within the bay. The warhead will be a 20,000 lb. penetrator with dense
metal ballast. This concept uses the Hard Target Smart Fuze (HTSF), an
accelerometer based electronic fuze which allows control of the
detonation point by layer counting, distance or time. The
accelerometer senses G loads on the bomb due to deceleration as it
penetrates through to the target. The fuze can distinguish between
earth, concrete, rock and air.

The Air Force also investigated whether a similar size weapon could be
used in a blast-only configuration, to replace the BLU-82 Daisy Cutter
blast weapon dropped from the MC-130. This was eventually realized as
the GBU-43/B "Mother Of All Bombs" MOAB - Massive Ordnance Air Blast
Bomb

Although the Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon concept was unfunded as
of 1997, in early 2002 it was reported that Northrop-Grumman and
Lockheed Martin were working on a 30,000-lb. earth penetrating guided
conventional weapon, said to be known as "Big BLU" or "Big
Blue" [which is also the nickname of the 15,000-lb surface burst
BLU-82]. Big BLU will be GPS guided and feature cobalt-alloy
penetrator bomb body that enables it to penetrate to depths of up to
100 feet below the surface before detonating. The bombs are so large
that a bomber such as the B-2 could carry one of them. As of March
2002 reportedly three Big BLUs had been ordered by the Air Force on an
urgent basis ["Inside The Ring," By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough,
Washington Times March 15, 2002 Pg. 10].

The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, Flight
Vehicles Integration Branch (AFRL/MNAV), announced interest in
December 2003 in receiving technical and cost proposals for the
development and demonstration of a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)
under Broad Agency Announcement MNK-BAA-01-0001, Flight Vehicles
Integration Research. The proposals will be accepted under the Broad
Agency Announcement (BAA) number MNK-BAA-04-0001; Armament Technology
Research; topic entitled Flight Vehicles Integration Research.

This effort builds on the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) Phase I
program. The objective of this phase was to perform a risk reduction
effort for a large penetrating munition and to conduct a study to
assess the potential for integration in the B-2/B-52 aircraft. The
large penetrating weapon is being designed for the defeat of a
specialized set of hard and deeply buried targets.

The tasks of the first phase were to evaluate a case design,
investigate explosive manufacturing concepts, refine and evaluate the
control actuator system and define the guidance kit packaging. Trade
studies were conducted on the aerodynamic configuration; fuze;
guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C); guidance kit packaging;
accuracy; and flight demonstration options. Performance predictions
against targets were analyzed and a carriage and release concept was
developed.

The goal of the MOP program is to design and test a large penetrating
munition, to demonstrate the weapon?s lethality against multi-story
buildings with hardened bunkers and tunnel facilities and to reduce
technology risk for future development. The MOP design will include
the capability to defeat hard and deeply buried targets. It will be
carried internally in a USAF B-2A/B-52 bomber and employed at high
altitudes. The munition will attack targets at target altitudes of up
to 10,000 ft. The munition will not exceed 30,000 lbs and will
maximize explosive fill while maintaining structural integrity
throughout the penetration event. The munition will be guided and have
capability in GPS disrupted environments.

The program will be structured as a concept refinement task order (TO)
with additional task orders for each of the remaining tasks. It is
envisioned that one contract will be awarded.

TO 1 - Concept Refinement: TO 1 shall be performed upon receipt of
Government authorization to proceed/contract award. The contractor
shall perform a cost /performance analysis (of proposed MOP designs ?
including platform integration options), a penetrator optimization
study, technology investment plan, and propose a Preliminary Design
(PD). The contractor is expected, but not required, to leverage the
concept definition work from the MOP Phase I program. The contractor
shall develop a Draft Master Test Plan Outline (DMTPO), which includes
all ground and flight tests. The PD and DMTPO shall be presented at a
Preliminary Design Review (PDR) prior to delivery to the Government
for final approval.

TO 2 - Weapon Development and Preliminary Testing: The contractor
shall develop a detailed hardware design. Simulation, aerostability
analysis, component testing and other risk reduction activities shall
be performed as required. Subscale models shall be fabricated and wind
tunnel tested. The contractor shall perform and support the wind
tunnel testing in accordance with the sponsor-approved Master Test
Plan. The contractor shall conduct initial performance testing to
include arena, blast lethality and penetration tests. The contractor
shall conduct initial qualification tests and static tests. The Final
Design including system specifications and Formal Master Test Plan
shall be presented at a Critical Design Review (CDR).

TO 3 - Weapon Performance Demonstration: The contractor shall
fabricate and integrate the unit to be flight-tested. It is expected
that five drop tests will be conducted. The contractor shall perform
and support the flight testing of the hardware in accordance with the
sponsor-approved Master Test Plan. The contractor shall also provide a
final report.

The contractor shall be responsible for all test plans necessary for
the maturation and demonstration of the hardware/software products to
be tested. Contractor-generated test plans, as approved by the
Government, will become contractual requirements. For tests being
conducted at Government facilities, the contractor shall be
responsible for providing technical support, analysis, data and test
planning support to the identified responsible Government test
organization. The contractor shall provide test support to include the
following: support of test planning meetings; test setup and checkout;
test article build up and transportation and checkout; installation of
hardware; instrumentation package support; required documentation for
testing; identification of risk and suggestions for improvements;
record test setup; data collection for evaluation of results; post-
test analysis and test result documentation.

It is expected that the following data submittals will be required.
Study [DI-GDRQ-80567A, Subsystem Design Analysis Report (Study
Report)], Status reports [DI-MGMT-80368/T, Status Report], cost/
schedule management [DI-MGMT-81334/T, Contract Work Breakdown
Structure (Cost/Schedule Breakdown Structure)]; [DI-FNCL-80912,
Performance and Cost Report], program review info [DI-ADMN-81250A,
Conference Minutes]; [DI-ADMN-81373/T], hardware design/drawings [DI-
SESS-81002B, Developmental Design Drawings and Associated Lists], test
plans [DI-NDTI-80566, Test Plan], test data [DI-NDTI-80809B, Test/
Inspection Report], system specs [DI-IPSC-81432A, System/Subsystem
Design Description], and final tech report [DI-MISC-80711A/T,
Scientific and Technical Reports, Final Report].

The Government anticipates the following program meetings and reviews:
Kickoff within four weeks of contract start date at offeror?s
facilities; Technical Interchange Meetings at times coinciding with
key program milestones or decision points that alternate between the
offeror?s facilities and Eglin AFB; and a Final Program review at
completion of the program at Eglin AFB, FL. The contractor may propose
to conduct or participate in other meetings with subcontractors,
Government agencies, or third parties, as deemed necessary.

The Government is anticipating unlimited data rights to all data
generated to include drawings and results. The Government highly
recommends the proposed design include no parts, materials, or
software that are proprietary. The offeror is responsible for
explicitly identifying any proprietary materials, products, software,
or processes to be used by the prime contractor or subcontractors in
the performance of this program and to address acquisition of data
rights or licenses, or expected recoupment of development costs for
those proprietary items that will be integral to the hardware and
software design and fabricated test items. Offerors should apply the
restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-1(e),
Instructions To Offerors - Competitive Acquisition, to trade secrets,
or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their
proposals.

TO 1 was expected to last 6 months with results deliverable in the
middle of month 6. TO 2 is expected to last 10 months and TO 3 is
expected to last 15 months. Total Period of Performance for the
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract will not
exceed 5 years. The Government anticipated awarding one Cost-Plus-
Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ)
contract to the offeror who the Air Force believed has submitted the
most advantageous proposal, based upon evaluation using the Evaluation
Criteria found within this document.

The Government anticipated receiving approximately $11.5M of FY04-07
funds for this program. The Government expects TO 1 costs would not
exceed $500K, TO 2 costs would not exceed $3M, and TO 3 would not
exceed $8M. It is anticipated that an IDIQ contract will be awarded
with a maximum ceiling of $20M since it is impossible to accurately
estimate all requirements during the five year period of performance.
This funding profile is an estimate only and is not a promise of
funding, as all funding is subject to changes/availability and
Government discretion. It is desired that contract expenditures be
managed and billed so as to maximize FY05 expenditure of FY04 and FY05
funding.

The February 2004 Defense Science Board Summer Study Task Force on
Future Strategic Strike Forces looked to the 30-year future with the
objective of providing the President with a broad range of strike
options to * Protect the United States and our forces abroad, * Assure
friends and allies of our future commitment, and * Deal with future
adversaries on terms favorable to the United States. The Task Force
identified currently planned systems that will still be relevant and
recommended new systems for development.

The DSB Task Force recommended that USD(AT&L) immediately undertake an
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) for a bomber-
delivered massive penetrator. A family of massive ordnance payloads
(20-30 klb.), both penetrator and blast variants, would be developed
to improve conventional attack effectiveness against deep, expansive,
underground tunnel facilities.

A deep underground tunnel facility in a rock geology poses a
significant challenge for non-nuclear weapons. Such a target is
difficult to penetrate, except possibly near an adit, and the
likelihood of damaging critical functional components deep within the
facility from an energy release at the adit is low. Past test
experience has shown that 2,000 lb. penetrators carrying 500 lbs. of
high explosive are relatively ineffective against tunnels, even when
skipped directly into the tunnel entrance.

Instead, several thousand pounds of high explosives coupled to the
tunnel are needed to blow down blast doors and propagate a lethal
airblast throughout a typical tunnel complex. This can be achieved
either by an accurate blast weapon situated in front of the tunnel
entrance or a penetrator that has burrowed directly into the tunnel.
In both cases, the munition must be on the order of 20- to 30- klb. to
couple a sufficient amount of energy to the tunnel.

The penetrator requires the weight for penetration; the blast weapon
requires the weight for carrying high explosives. Optimized
penetrators of this size may penetrate about 5 to 8 times farther than
an existing 2,000 lb. class weapon and may also be suitable for
housing a clean, low-yield nuclear weapon. Using the tactic of optimum
dual delivery, where a second penetrator follows immediately behind
the first, and boosting the penetrator velocity with a rocket motor, a
depth of up to 40 meters can be achieved in moderately hard rock. In
view of the promise of such a massive penetrator for both conventional
and nuclear payloads, the DSB Task Force recommended an immediate
start on an ACTD-like demonstration of this capability.

The Defense Department announced late 01 November 2004 that the Air
Force Research Laboratory has awarded a multi-year contract to Boeing
for the MOP program. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was being awarded
a $20,000,000 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract. The
primary objective of this program will be to design and test a large
penetrating munition, to demonstrate the weapon's lethality against
multi-story buildings with hardened bunkers and tunnel facilities, and
to reduce technology risk for future development. This program is
funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The Air Force can issue
delivery orders totaling up to maximum amount indicated above,
although actual requirements may necessitate less than the amount
indicated above. Initially $499,755 of the funds was obligated. This
work will be complete by February 2005. Solicitation began July 2004
and negotiations were completed September 2004. The Air Force Research
Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity
(FA8651-04-D-0427).


Specifications
Weight, total 13,600 kg [30,000 lb]
Weight, explosive 2,700 kg [6,000 lb]
Length 6 m [20 feet]
Diameter ??
Control short-span wings and trellis-type tail
Penetration 60 meters [200 feet] through 5,000 psi reinforced
concrete
40 meters [125 feet] through moderately hard rock
8 meters [25 feet] through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete

Contractors Boeing, Northrop Grumman
Sponsors Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate
Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Platforms B-52, B-2
Guidance GPS aided INS
Schedule 2005 - Refine MOP concept and begin detailed weapon
development and testing
2005 - statically emplaced Proof-of Principle test of payload
effectiveness
2006 - static lethality demonstration against hard and deeply buried
targets
2006 - scaled penetration and lethality testing
2007 - Conduct Massive Ordnance Penetrator Demonstration
2007 - full-scale performance demonstration against realistic hard and
deeply buried targets


http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...op-image57.gif

On Jul 25, 3:34?pm, AirRaid wrote:
In the past, I've posted about the U.S. Air Force's program to develop
"Big BLU", a 30,000 pound bunker buster MUCH more capable than the old
GBU-28. back then Big BLU was just in development. Now it's almost
ready.

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/july/20...enetration.htm

New 'deep penetration' 30,000 lb mega-bomb will MOP up the enemy
24 July 2007

The bat-winged B-2 stealth bomber will soon be capable of carrying a
30,000-pound (13.6 tonne) super-bomb that could obliterate heavily
reinforced facilities like bunkers or deeply buried targets like
underground nuclear installations. Defence manufacturer Northrop
Grumman has a seven-month, $2.5 million Air Force contract to make the
bomber capable of carrying two of these new mega-bombs in its weapons
bay.

Called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) this enormous piece of
ordnance is being developed by the Boeing Company. The mega-bomb will
have more than 5,300 pounds (2.4 tonnes) of explosives, encased in a
20.5 foot hardened steel casing which makes it capable of penetrating
and destroying deeply buried targets like tunnels, bunkers, etc.

With more than 10 times the explosive power of its bunker-busting
predecessor, the BLU-109, MOP will be a smart device, precision-guided
by global positioning system (GPS) based navigation to zero in on the
target. The Air Force wants to use the bomb with both the veteran B-52
and the B-2 stealth bombers. Part of the reason for the new mega-bomb
is to ensure that bomber aircraft will remain a strategic and tactical
weapon system over the next 50 years, providing a steady stream of
lucrative contracts for defence manufacturers.

The bat-like B-2s will require two major modifications, each costing
about $1 billion, to be able to successfully deliver the MOP. Work is
underway in the Antelope Valley, where the bombers were produced and
where around 1,000 Northrop Grumman employees still work on the B-2.

A new radar antenna called the active electronically scanned array
will be installed on B-2 bombers over the next five years. This will
avoid conflicts with the Ku Band frequency spectrum, which the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has opened up for commercial
transmissions. The second change is a new satellite communications
link that offers 50 times greater bandwidth for receiving and sharing
data.

Northrop Grumman has earlier made other upgrades. For example, it
installed a smart-bomb rack assembly that allowed the B-2 to deliver
80 independently guided 500-pound bombs, five times more than
previously. It also developed a special surface coating that makes for
easier maintenance.

......................................

B-2 Bomber with Massive Penetrator weapon

July 23, 2007 Just how important does someone have to be to have their
own 30,000 pound bomb delivered by a billion dollar aircraft? We'll
soon know. We have written about the Massive Penetrator weapon before
here and detailed the awesome firepower and effectively infinite range
of the US$1.157 billion B-2 here. The B-2 is a multi-role bomber
capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions through
previously impenetrable defenses. The B-2's low-observable
technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency, large payload and an
unrefueled range of approximately 6,000 nautical miles (9,600
kilometers) give it the unique ability to penetrate an enemy's most
sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily
defended, targets.

Now, in a move that's certain to displease enemies of the state,
they're getting the two together - anytime, anywhere and now any depth
destruction.

Northrop Grumman, the Air Force's prime contractor on the B-2, is
doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million contract awarded June
1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright Patterson
AFB, Ohio.

The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

The current contract will focus on adapting the B-2's weapon bay
fixtures to accommodate the new weapon. The B-2 is currently equipped
to carry up to 40,000 pounds of conventional ordnance.

......................

http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroo....html?d=123187

http://www.bitsofnews.com/content/view/5880/

A little noticed July 19, 2007 press release from aerospace and
defense conglomerate Northrop Grumman reveals that the company is
undertaking the task of refitting a number of the US Air Force's B-2
Stealth Bombers with new bomb racks able to hold and deliver the
Boeing produced 30,000 pound (13,600 kg) Massive Ordnance Penetrator
(MOP) bunker busting bomb.

http://www.bitsofnews.com/images/gra...intro300px.jpg

PALMDALE, Calif., July 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air
Force's B-2 stealth bomber would be able to attack and destroy an
expanded set of hardened, deeply buried military targets using a new
30,000 pound-class penetrator weapon that Northrop Grumman has begun
integrating on the aircraft.

The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million
contract awarded June 1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems
Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.
[...]
The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

(Click for larger image)The weapon is substantially larger than the
previously deepest penetrating bunker buster, the 5000 lb (2,270 kg)
GBU-28. It joins a select arsenal of massive non-nuclear bombs along
side the famous "Daisycutter", the 15,000 pound BLU-82 bomb designed
originally to create clearings in the Vietnam jungle to enable
helicopters to put down, and which had a lethality radius of 300
metres, and the so called Mother Of All Bombs, the 30 ft (9.17 m)
long, 21,000 pound (9.5 metric tonnes) GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air
Blast (MOAB), the hitherto most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever
designed.

http://www.bitsofnews.com/images/gra...rdnance_penetr...

There has of course been much chatter lately that any air strikes
intended to knock out, or set back the Iranian nuclear program,
located at hardened underground facilities such as Natanz, would
require the use of either small tactical nuclear devices, or
conventional explosive bombs of a size and design hitherto never
before used, like the MOP.

Of course, planning, and even preparing for a contingency, does not in
itself imply any decision to launch an attack. But it might be prudent
on the part of the Iranian leadership to dig a little deeper, both in
the diplomatic bag, and in a very real and concrete sense.

..............

Northrop Grumman Begins Work to Equip B-2 Bomber with Massive
Penetrator Weapon
PALMDALE, Calif., July 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air
Force's B-2 stealth bomber would be able to attack and destroy an
expanded set of hardened, deeply buried military targets using a new
30,000 pound-class penetrator weapon that Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC)
has begun integrating on the aircraft.

The company is doing the work under a seven-month, $2.5 million
contract awarded June 1 by the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems
Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor on the B-2, the
flagship of the nation's long-range strike arsenal.

The new Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which is being developed by
The Boeing Company, is a GPS-guided weapon containing more than 5,300
pounds of conventional explosives inside a 20.5-foot long enclosure of
hardened steel. It is designed to penetrate dirt, rock and reinforced
concrete to reach enemy bunker or tunnel installations. The B-2 is
capable of carrying two MOPs, one in each weapons bay.

"This integration contract is part of Northrop Grumman's on-going
effort to ensure that the B-2 remains capable of delivering a decisive
blow to an increasingly sophisticated enemy," said Dave Mazur, vice
president of long-range strike for the company's Integrated Systems
sector. "It is the first step in helping the Air Force make this new
weapon available for operational use on the B-2."

According to Mazur, the Air Force is expected to make a decision later
this year on whether to develop a limited operational capability for
the MOP, or to proceed with a more comprehensive development program
that would optimize the weapon's operational utility.

The current contract will focus on adapting the B-2's weapon bay
fixtures to accommodate the new weapon. The B-2 is currently equipped
to carry up to 40,000 pounds of conventional ordnance. It can be
configured, for example, to carry up to 80 500-lb class GPS-guided
bombs or 36 750-lb class bombs in its smart bomb rack assembly, or up
to 16 2,000-lb class weapons in its rotary launch assembly.

Integration of the MOP on the B-2 is the latest in a series of
modernization programs that Northrop Grumman and its subcontractors
have undertaken with the Air Force to ensure that the aircraft remains
fully capable against evolving threats. Other recent or current B-2
modernization programs include:

-- A "smart" bomb rack assembly that allows the aircraft to deliver 80
independently-targeted, 500-lb. smart weapons, five times more than
previously;

-- Application of a specially formulated surface coating that has
significantly reduced B-2 maintenance time and improved operational
readiness;

-- Installation of a line-of-sight tactical communications system that
improves B-2 pilots' ability to share critical targeting and threat
information and maintain real-time awareness of the battlespace; and

-- Installation of an advanced electronically scanned array antenna
designed to enable more advanced imaging capabilities in the future.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the most survivable aircraft
in the world. It remains the only long-range, large-payload aircraft
that can penetrate deeply into protected airspace. In concert with the
Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control,
and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the
B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the
world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more
than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it
the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

Northrop Grumman is a $30 billion global defense and technology
company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products,
and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and
shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

...............................

OLD ARTICLE ON THE Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)
Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon / Big BLU

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ions/dshtw.htm

Boeing's Phantom Works is leading the effort to demonstrate the
Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). The three-phase technology
demonstration builds on design studies that Boeing had conducted for
the laboratory. Flight testing is envisaged around 2006. The 6 m [20
feet] long MOP features short-span wings and trellis-type tails. The
13,600 kg [30,000 lb] weapon contains a 2,700 kg [6,000 lb] explosive
charge. MOP is designed to go deeper than any nuclear bunker buster
and take out 25 percent of the underground and deeply buried targets.
It is expected to penetrate as much as 60 meters [200 feet] through
5,000 psi reinforced concrete. It will burrow 8 meters into the ground
through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete. Northrop Grumman is working on
with Boeing to develop this conventional bunker buster. They are under
contract to Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate at
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

While complete physical destruction may be desired, for some hard and
deeply buried targets this effect isn't practicable with current
weapons and employment techniques. It may be possible, however, to
deny or disrupt the mission or function of a facility. Functional
defeat is facilitated through better data collection and intelligence
preparation against the potential targets. The defeat process includes
finding and identifying a facility, characterizing its function and
physical layout, determining its vulnerabilities to available weapons,
planning an attack, applying force, assessing damage, and, if
necessary, suppressing reconstitution efforts and re-striking the
facility. New more lethal defeat options for Hard and Deeply Buried
Targets (HDBTs) like the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, that can
overwhelm target characterization uncertainties, are being developed
and demonstrated to provide a 10x increase in weapon lethality and
improved penetration capability compared to inventory weapons.

The Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon was described in 1997 as a 20,000
lb. class precision guided, adverse weather, direct attack bomb
employed on the B-52 and B-2 aircraft. It will make use of the GCU
developed by the JDAM program which uses GPS aided INS for adverse
weather guidance. Precision accuracy will be attained by using
differential GPS (DGPS) technology demonstrated on programs such as
Enhanced Differential GPS for Guidance Enhancement (EDGE) and
Miniature Munition Technology Demonstration (MMTD). The weapon will
make use of the JDAM interface under development for the B-52 and B-2
aircraft and would be carried internally using new suspension hardware
within the bay. The warhead will be a 20,000 lb. penetrator with dense
metal ballast. This concept uses the Hard Target Smart Fuze (HTSF), an
accelerometer based electronic fuze which allows control of the
detonation point by layer counting, distance or time. The
accelerometer senses G loads on the bomb due to deceleration as it
penetrates through to the target. The fuze can distinguish between
earth, concrete, rock and air.

The Air Force also investigated whether a similar size weapon could be
used in a blast-only configuration, to replace the BLU-82 Daisy Cutter
blast weapon dropped from the MC-130. This was eventually realized as
the GBU-43/B "Mother Of All Bombs" MOAB - Massive Ordnance Air Blast
Bomb

Although the Direct Strike Hard Target Weapon concept was unfunded as
of 1997, in early 2002 it was reported that Northrop-Grumman and
Lockheed Martin were working on a 30,000-lb. earth penetrating guided
conventional weapon, said to be known as "Big BLU" or "Big
Blue" [which is also the nickname of the 15,000-lb surface burst
BLU-82]. Big BLU will be GPS guided and feature cobalt-alloy
penetrator bomb body that enables it to penetrate to depths of up to
100 feet below the surface before detonating. The bombs are so large
that a bomber such as the B-2 could carry one of them. As of March
2002 reportedly three Big BLUs had been ordered by the Air Force on an
urgent basis ["Inside The Ring," By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough,
Washington Times March 15, 2002 Pg. 10].

The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, Flight
Vehicles Integration Branch (AFRL/MNAV), announced interest in
December 2003 in receiving technical and cost proposals for the
development and demonstration of a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)
under Broad Agency Announcement MNK-BAA-01-0001, Flight Vehicles
Integration Research. The proposals will be accepted under the Broad
Agency Announcement (BAA) number MNK-BAA-04-0001; Armament Technology
Research; topic entitled Flight Vehicles Integration Research.

This effort builds on the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) Phase I
program. The objective of this phase was to perform a risk reduction
effort for a large penetrating munition and to conduct a study to
assess the potential for integration in the B-2/B-52 aircraft. The
large penetrating weapon is being designed for the defeat of a
specialized set of hard and deeply buried targets.

The tasks of the first phase were to evaluate a case design,
investigate explosive manufacturing concepts, refine and evaluate the
control actuator system and define the guidance kit packaging. Trade
studies were conducted on the aerodynamic configuration; fuze;
guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C); guidance kit packaging;
accuracy; and flight demonstration options. Performance predictions
against targets were analyzed and a carriage and release concept was
developed.

The goal of the MOP program is to design and test a large penetrating
munition, to demonstrate the weapon?s lethality against multi-story
buildings with hardened bunkers and tunnel facilities and to reduce
technology risk for future development. The MOP design will include
the capability to defeat hard and deeply buried targets. It will be
carried internally in a USAF B-2A/B-52 bomber and employed at high
altitudes. The munition will attack targets at target altitudes of up
to 10,000 ft. The munition will not exceed 30,000 lbs and will
maximize explosive fill while maintaining structural integrity
throughout the penetration event. The munition will be guided and have
capability in GPS disrupted environments.

The program will be structured as a concept refinement task order (TO)
with additional task orders for each of the remaining tasks. It is
envisioned that one contract will be awarded.

TO 1 - Concept Refinement: TO 1 shall be performed upon receipt of
Government authorization to proceed/contract award. The contractor
shall perform a cost /performance analysis (of proposed MOP designs ?
including platform integration options), a penetrator optimization
study, technology investment plan, and propose a Preliminary Design
(PD). The contractor is expected, but not required, to leverage the
concept definition work from the MOP Phase I program. The contractor
shall develop a Draft Master Test Plan Outline (DMTPO), which includes
all ground and flight tests. The PD and DMTPO shall be presented at a
Preliminary Design Review (PDR) prior to delivery to the Government
for final approval.

TO 2 - Weapon Development and Preliminary Testing: The contractor
shall develop a detailed hardware design. Simulation, aerostability
analysis, component testing and other risk reduction activities shall
be performed as required. Subscale models shall be fabricated and wind
tunnel tested. The contractor shall perform and support the wind
tunnel testing in accordance with the sponsor-approved Master Test
Plan. The contractor shall conduct initial performance testing to
include arena, blast lethality and penetration tests. The contractor
shall conduct initial qualification tests and static tests. The Final
Design including system specifications and Formal Master Test Plan
shall be presented at a Critical Design Review (CDR).

TO 3 - Weapon Performance Demonstration: The contractor shall
fabricate and integrate the unit to be flight-tested. It is expected
that five drop tests will be conducted. The contractor shall perform
and support the flight testing of the hardware in accordance with the
sponsor-approved Master Test Plan. The contractor shall also provide a
final report.

The contractor shall be responsible for all test plans necessary for
the maturation and demonstration of the hardware/software products to
be tested. Contractor-generated test plans, as approved by the
Government, will become contractual requirements. For tests being
conducted at Government facilities, the contractor shall be
responsible for providing technical support, analysis, data and test
planning support to the identified responsible Government test
organization. The contractor shall provide test support to include the
following: support of test planning meetings; test setup and checkout;
test article build up and transportation and checkout; installation of
hardware; instrumentation package support; required documentation for
testing; identification of risk and suggestions for improvements;
record test setup; data collection for evaluation of results; post-
test analysis and test result documentation.

It is expected that the following data submittals will be required.
Study [DI-GDRQ-80567A, Subsystem Design Analysis Report (Study
Report)], Status reports [DI-MGMT-80368/T, Status Report], cost/
schedule management [DI-MGMT-81334/T, Contract Work Breakdown
Structure (Cost/Schedule Breakdown Structure)]; [DI-FNCL-80912,
Performance and Cost Report], program review info [DI-ADMN-81250A,
Conference Minutes]; [DI-ADMN-81373/T], hardware design/drawings [DI-
SESS-81002B, Developmental Design Drawings and Associated Lists], test
plans [DI-NDTI-80566, Test Plan], test data [DI-NDTI-80809B, Test/
Inspection Report], system specs [DI-IPSC-81432A, System/Subsystem
Design Description], and final tech report [DI-MISC-80711A/T,
Scientific and Technical Reports, Final Report].

The Government anticipates the following program meetings and reviews:
Kickoff within four weeks of contract start date at offeror?s
facilities; Technical Interchange Meetings at times coinciding with
key program milestones or decision points that alternate between the
offeror?s facilities and Eglin AFB; and a Final Program review at
completion of the program at Eglin AFB, FL. The contractor may propose
to conduct or participate in other meetings with subcontractors,
Government agencies, or third parties, as deemed necessary.

The Government is anticipating unlimited data rights to all data
generated to include drawings and results. The Government highly
recommends the proposed design include no parts, materials, or
software that are proprietary. The offeror is responsible for
explicitly identifying any proprietary materials, products, software,
or processes to be used by the prime contractor or subcontractors in
the performance of this program and to address acquisition of data
rights or licenses, or expected recoupment of development costs for
those proprietary items that will be integral to the hardware and
software design and fabricated test items. Offerors should apply the
restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-1(e),
Instructions To Offerors - Competitive Acquisition, to trade secrets,
or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their
proposals.

TO 1 was expected to last 6 months with results deliverable in the
middle of month 6. TO 2 is expected to last 10 months and TO 3 is
expected to last 15 months. Total Period of Performance for the
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract will not
exceed 5 years. The Government anticipated awarding one Cost-Plus-
Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ)
contract to the offeror who the Air Force believed has submitted the
most advantageous proposal, based upon evaluation using the Evaluation
Criteria found within this document.

The Government anticipated receiving approximately $11.5M of FY04-07
funds for this program. The Government expects TO 1 costs would not
exceed $500K, TO 2 costs would not exceed $3M, and TO 3 would not
exceed $8M. It is anticipated that an IDIQ contract will be awarded
with a maximum ceiling of $20M since it is impossible to accurately
estimate all requirements during the five year period of performance.
This funding profile is an estimate only and is not a promise of
funding, as all funding is subject to changes/availability and
Government discretion. It is desired that contract expenditures be
managed and billed so as to maximize FY05 expenditure of FY04 and FY05
funding.

The February 2004 Defense Science Board Summer Study Task Force on
Future Strategic Strike Forces looked to the 30-year future with the
objective of providing the President with a broad range of strike
options to * Protect the United States and our forces abroad, * Assure
friends and allies of our future commitment, and * Deal with future
adversaries on terms favorable to the United States. The Task Force
identified currently planned systems that will still be relevant and
recommended new systems for development.

The DSB Task Force recommended that USD(AT&L) immediately undertake an
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) for a bomber-
delivered massive penetrator. A family of massive ordnance payloads
(20-30 klb.), both penetrator and blast variants, would be developed
to improve conventional attack effectiveness against deep, expansive,
underground tunnel facilities.

A deep underground tunnel facility in a rock geology poses a
significant challenge for non-nuclear weapons. Such a target is
difficult to penetrate, except possibly near an adit, and the
likelihood of damaging critical functional components deep within the
facility from an energy release at the adit is low. Past test
experience has shown that 2,000 lb. penetrators carrying 500 lbs. of
high explosive are relatively ineffective against tunnels, even when
skipped directly into the tunnel entrance.

Instead, several thousand pounds of high explosives coupled to the
tunnel are needed to blow down blast doors and propagate a lethal
airblast throughout a typical tunnel complex. This can be achieved
either by an accurate blast weapon situated in front of the tunnel
entrance or a penetrator that has burrowed directly into the tunnel.
In both cases, the munition must be on the order of 20- to 30- klb. to
couple a sufficient amount of energy to the tunnel.

The penetrator requires the weight for penetration; the blast weapon
requires the weight for carrying high explosives. Optimized
penetrators of this size may penetrate about 5 to 8 times farther than
an existing 2,000 lb. class weapon and may also be suitable for
housing a clean, low-yield nuclear weapon. Using the tactic of optimum
dual delivery, where a second penetrator follows immediately behind
the first, and boosting the penetrator velocity with a rocket motor, a
depth of up to 40 meters can be achieved in moderately hard rock. In
view of the promise of such a massive penetrator for both conventional
and nuclear payloads, the DSB Task Force recommended an immediate
start on an ACTD-like demonstration of this capability.

The Defense Department announced late 01 November 2004 that the Air
Force Research Laboratory has awarded a multi-year contract to Boeing
for the MOP program. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was being awarded
a $20,000,000 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract. The
primary objective of this program will be to design and test a large
penetrating munition, to demonstrate the weapon's lethality against
multi-story buildings with hardened bunkers and tunnel facilities, and
to reduce technology risk for future development. This program is
funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The Air Force can issue
delivery orders totaling up to maximum amount indicated above,
although actual requirements may necessitate less than the amount
indicated above. Initially $499,755 of the funds was obligated. This
work will be complete by February 2005. Solicitation began July 2004
and negotiations were completed September 2004. The Air Force Research
Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity
(FA8651-04-D-0427).

Specifications
Weight, total 13,600 kg [30,000 lb]
Weight, explosive 2,700 kg [6,000 lb]
Length 6 m [20 feet]
Diameter ??
Control short-span wings and trellis-type tail
Penetration 60 meters [200 feet] through 5,000 psi reinforced
concrete
40 meters [125 feet] through moderately hard rock
8 meters [25 feet] through 10,000 psi reinforced concrete

Contractors Boeing, Northrop Grumman
Sponsors Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate
Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Platforms B-52, B-2
Guidance GPS aided INS
Schedule 2005 - Refine MOP concept and begin detailed weapon
development and testing
2005 - statically emplaced Proof-of Principle test of payload
effectiveness
2006 - static lethality demonstration against hard and deeply buried
targets
2006 - scaled penetration and lethality testing
2007 - Conduct Massive Ordnance Penetrator Demonstration
2007 - full-scale performance demonstration against realistic hard and
deeply buried targets

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...s/images/mop-i...

Give it a rest for a second. The Germans in WW2 modified a Me-323 to
drop at 17.7 ton bomb. That's 35,400 lbs, they dropped it in a
test...but you didn't see them trying to make a Me-323 Gigant bomber.

I would like to know how the B-2 is going to "accommodate" that MF-
seriously w/o compromising its stealth?

And just how efeective could these be when the Iranian nuclear
facilities are dispersed all over than nation?

Rob

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...ng_Load_lg.jpg

Rob

Rob Arndt wrote in news:1185404599.188142.182430
@x40g2000prg.googlegroups.com:

[snip]

Give it a rest for a second. The Germans in WW2 modified a Me-323 to
drop at 17.7 ton bomb. That's 35,400 lbs, they dropped it in a
test...but you didn't see them trying to make a Me-323 Gigant bomber.

The US had a 42,000# weapon for the B-36.
I believe the payload was two of these things.

I would like to know how the B-2 is going to "accommodate" that MF-
seriously w/o compromising its stealth?

Apparently they will fit internally.

And just how efeective could these be when the Iranian nuclear
facilities are dispersed all over than nation?

Pick away at them until the desired result is achieved.
You don't have to get them all at once.

IBM

Firstly ....
Defence manufacturer Northrop
Grumman has a seven-month, $2.5 million Air Force contract to make the
bomber capable of carrying two of these new mega-bombs in its weapons
bay.

but later...
The bat-like B-2s will require two major modifications, each costing
about $1 billion, to be able to successfully deliver the MOP.

The mods cost a billion? I dont think so.
That should be 'The bat-like B-2s, each costing about $1 billion, will
require two mod...'
Sheez!

Jeremy Thomson

In article . com, AirRaid
wrote:

In the past, I've posted about the U.S. Air Force's program to develop
"Big BLU", a 30,000 pound bunker buster MUCH more capable than the old
GBU-28. back then Big BLU was just in development. Now it's almost
ready.

The first article is FOS


http://www.domain-b.com/aero/july/20...enetration.htm

New 'deep penetration' 30,000 lb mega-bomb will MOP up the enemy
24 July 2007

The bat-winged B-2 stealth bomber will soon be capable of carrying a
30,000-pound (13.6 tonne) super-bomb that could obliterate heavily
reinforced facilities like bunkers or deeply buried targets like
underground nuclear installations. Defence manufacturer Northrop
Grumman has a seven-month, $2.5 million Air Force contract to make the
bomber capable of carrying two of these new mega-bombs in its weapons
bay.

Called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) this enormous piece of
ordnance is being developed by the Boeing Company. The mega-bomb will
have more than 5,300 pounds (2.4 tonnes) of explosives, encased in a
20.5 foot hardened steel casing which makes it capable of penetrating
and destroying deeply buried targets like tunnels, bunkers, etc.

With more than 10 times the explosive power of its bunker-busting
predecessor, the BLU-109, MOP will be a smart device, precision-guided
by global positioning system (GPS) based navigation to zero in on the
target. The Air Force wants to use the bomb with both the veteran B-52
and the B-2 stealth bombers. Part of the reason for the new mega-bomb
is to ensure that bomber aircraft will remain a strategic and tactical
weapon system over the next 50 years, providing a steady stream of
lucrative contracts for defence manufacturers.

The bat-like B-2s will require two major modifications, each costing
about $1 billion, to be able to successfully deliver the MOP. Work is
underway in the Antelope Valley, where the bombers were produced and
where around 1,000 Northrop Grumman employees still work on the B-2.

A new radar antenna called the active electronically scanned array
will be installed on B-2 bombers over the next five years. This will
avoid conflicts with the Ku Band frequency spectrum, which the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has opened up for commercial
transmissions. The second change is a new satellite communications
link that offers 50 times greater bandwidth for receiving and sharing
data.

The AESA radar and the new Satcom have NOTHING to do with the
MOP or the prep work (mostly with bomb racking) to the B-2.
Whomever wrote that article was smoking dope.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

In article .com, Jeremy
Thomson wrote:

Firstly ....
Defence manufacturer Northrop
Grumman has a seven-month, $2.5 million Air Force contract to make the
bomber capable of carrying two of these new mega-bombs in its weapons
bay.

but later...
The bat-like B-2s will require two major modifications, each costing
about $1 billion, to be able to successfully deliver the MOP.

The mods cost a billion? I dont think so.
That should be 'The bat-like B-2s, each costing about $1 billion, will
require two mod...'

No, the nitwit who wrote the article lumped in the new radar system and
the new satcom system with the prep work for the MOP.

The new radar and satcom are unrelated to the MOP.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

On Jul 26, 11:19 am, (Harry Andreas) wrote:


No, the nitwit who wrote the article lumped in the new radar system and
the new satcom system with the prep work for the MOP.

The new radar and satcom are unrelated to the MOP.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur

but you have to admit, my subject header / title of this thread was
pretty good.