00:16The U.S. Air Force is moving to restock one of the world's most powerful bombs, the 30,000-pound
00:23GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
00:27These bunker-busting bombs were used for the first time in combat during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, striking
00:36deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities.
00:40Now, the Pentagon says it's urgently replenishing its supply.
00:44But why? And what does this mean for global security? Let's break it down.
00:48In June 2025, seven B-2 stealth bombers dropped 14 GBU-57 bombs on Iran's most secure nuclear sites.
00:59Twelve bombs targeted the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, and two hit the Natanz facility.
01:05The strike was part of a massive mission involving more than 125 aircraft, including F-35 escorts, aerial refueling tankers,
01:15and even a barrage of submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles hitting the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center.
01:23Cyber operations played a key role, with U.S. Cyber Command disabling Iranian air defenses to ensure the strike package
01:31could reach its targets without interference.
01:33Officials described the operation as extremely successful, significantly degrading Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities, and all without a single allied loss.
01:45Now, the Department of Defense is signing a Boeing contract valued at over $100 million to replace the 14 GBU
01:54-57s used during the operation.
01:57Each bomb can penetrate up to 200 feet of reinforced concrete or hardened earth before detonating, making it one of
02:06the most powerful conventional munitions in the world.
02:09Air Force documents call the restock critically needed to maintain readiness for high-threat, fortified environments.
02:17This is believed to be the final production run of the current GBU-57 model, ahead of the rollout of
02:23its next-generation successor.
02:25The new munition, developed by Boeing and Applied Research Associates, will be lighter, under 22,000 pounds, more precise, and
02:34compatible with a wider range of platforms, including the upcoming B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
02:41It features advanced smart fusing designed to defeat complex underground structures even in GPS-denied environments.
02:49The Pentagon is also replenishing other stockpiles depleted by high-intensity operations, including THAAD, PATRIOT, and standard missile systems used
02:59in the Middle East and for Israel's defense.
03:02Satellite imagery shows Iran has repaired many ballistic missile sites damaged in 2025, though its nuclear facilities are slower to
03:11recover.
03:12Unexploded ordnance, potentially including GBU-57 remnants, remains at some sites, complicating inspections and recovery efforts.
03:22U.S. military presence in the region continues to build, including carrier strike groups, signaling ongoing deterrence against potential threats.
03:31The restocking of GBU-57 bombs highlights a dual-track U.S. strategy, maintaining proven weapons while developing the next
03:40generation of precision bunker busters.
03:43It's a clear signal. The U.S. is prepared to confront heavily fortified targets anywhere, anytime.
03:50Operation Midnight Hammer was just the beginning, and the GBU-57 is far from being retired.
04:15Operation Midnight Hammer was just the beginning, and the GBU-57 is far from being retired, and the GBU-57
04:18is far from being retired.
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