GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

Context: India’s successful test of a new bunker-buster missile has alarmed Pakistan due to its ability to target deeply buried military installations with high precision.

About GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

• Type: A powerful, GPS-guided, earth-penetrating bomb designed for deeply buried and fortified targets.
• Nickname:
  • Known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)”.
• Purpose:
  • Specifically built to destroy hardened underground facilities, such as bunkers housing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
• Developer & User:
  • Manufactured by Boeing.
  • Operated by the United States Air Force.

Key Features

• Length: 20.5 feet
• Diameter: 31.5 inches
• Weight: 14,000 kg (approx.)
• Warhead Casing: Made from a high-performance steel alloy capable of penetrating up to 200 feet of concrete.
• Delivery Platform: Carried by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, with the capacity to carry two MOPs at once.
• Fuse Mechanism: Equipped with a delayed-action fuse that ensures the bomb detonates only after it has penetrated deep underground.

India’s Bunker-Buster Missile (Under Development)

• Agency: DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation)
• Purpose: Target hardened underground military installations, command bunkers, and nuclear silos across difficult terrain like LoC and LAC.

Expected Features

• High-penetration warhead (likely modelled after GBU-57 capabilities)
• Can be launched from fighter jets or missile platforms
• Designed to operate in high-altitude and mountainous terrain
• Likely to use GPS + inertial guidance for high precision
• Intended to neutralise enemy WMD storage, underground bunkers, and command-and-control nodes

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