"America Upgrades Its Biggest Bomb" Topic

"If diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program fail, the country's underground nuclear facilities could expect a surprise package delivery from Uncle Sam and his stealthy B-2 bomber.

Last year, while the White House was negotiating a settlement to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, the U.S. military was upgrading a terrifying weapon that could smash Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's thinly-veiled nuclear weapons program, albeit at great risk of sparking a shooting war.

We're talking about the 15-ton Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, which Boeing and the Pentagon have tailored for punching deep into the ground to destroy buried targets including nuclear, chemical or biological weapons facilities…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Efforts to stop Iran HAVE failed. The only thing left is for them to assemble and test.

Four years ago they only had 6 months to go for sufficient Uranium enrichment. The centrifuge STUXNET sabotage could only slow them down.

What they are doing now is creating enough material for 5-8 weapons at a minimum so that when they "go nuclear" the region feels that they have parity with Israel.

Since Israel is so small and Iran so large, the balance of nuclear effectiveness might even be on Iran's side at that point.

How many Hiroshima size atomic bombs would be needed to make Israel unable to continue as a country?

How many Hiroshima size atomic bombs would be needed to make Iran unable to continue as a country?

Israel is a very small nation with a small population. It would not take much to destroy them.

In wargaming the Middle East, the near term combat is always a factor of the long term consequences. Israel can't take many casualties. That means they have to win wars quickly and destroy the enemies ability to wage war fast.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek

Yea, they've had a lot of final deadlines, during "negotiations", which really should be called "capitulations" if the truth in advertising rules were being enforced.

They've been at the 6 months to a year to build a bomb for more than a decade, if I recall correctly.

Also, no sanctions on ballistic missile, or warhead development, so clearly we aren't seriously trying to stop their nuke weapons program.

We're talking about the 15-ton Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb,

I'm a BIG fan of Big non-Nucs … You have a much higher probability of use … if need be …

Being that Israel gas between 75 and 400 warheads, not all on Israeli soil, it isn't going to be so easy for such an aggressor. One on Israeli soil will granted do allot of damage, but the entire middle east will get a radioactive nuclear winter out of the deal. Then, since Pakistan is the number one Muslim nuke power, they will get hit hard rather they were involved or not. That will mean Pakistan will hit India to defend themselves. India will retaliate and it will spread to an exchange with China. China will strike at us and Russia. Russia will hit everyone including us. Britain and France will jump in at some point. End of the road for the human race. Basically, at each stage a country about to get wiped will try to take as many as they can with them. Everyone knows this is the endgame, so no, Iran will not use one on Israel. While many world leaders are "characters", none got to their position without half a brain. If and when Iran gets a bomb, they will not use it for an explosion, but as a bargaining chip. It has been the game since 1945 and will remain so. They will just get a seat at the table, everyone will moan, then the Iranians get their cards, too.