Pentagon’s Answer to Iran's Secret Nuclear Site??

Pentagon wants Congress to put adequate measures in place to hasten the production of a colossal bomb capable of causing destruction even to heavily fortified underground weapons bunkers. The "urgent operational need" is seen to arise in the wake of "hostile states" housing their nuclear arsenals in bunkers shielded using thousands of pounds of reinforced concrete.

The move was not entirely unexpected after the revelation of Iran's much suspected but closely guarded nuclear site near Qom which is getting established within the rock solid confines of a mountain. The question that naturally comes to mind then is whether Pentagon is looking to target the Iranian nuclear site.

While acknowledging the fact that the mega-bomb, known as the "massive ordnance penetrator” (MOP) is capable of blowing fortified sites such as the ones North Korea and Iran have as part of their nuclear programs, Pentagon officials are quick to rule out any specific target for attack. A senior defense officer speaking to Fox News has revealed that MOP was originally thought of way back in 2004 when North Korea's nuclear activities were going rogue, and is not being readied in response to Iran's Qom facility.

The 15-ton colossus of a bomb will be America’s largest non-nuclear weapon and would come with 5,300 pounds of explosives and would be capable of blasting bunkers fortified with 10,000 pounds of reinforced concrete. A B-2 Stealth bomber would be deployed for launching the bomb which is planned to be readied as early as next summer. Pentagon aims to arm itself with four such bombs by mid-2010. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen has however expressed that striking a hostile state using the colossal bomb would remain an option of last resort.

To illustrate that the planning for the bomb actually began in the Bush era, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman states: "Without going into any intelligence, there are countries that have used technology to go further underground and to take those facilities and make them hardened. This is not a new phenomenon, but it is a growing one."

The precision-guided stealth missile can drill through not just earth, but underground encasements of almost any form and penetrate deep to reach hidden weapons bunkers, labs, depots or hideouts.

- myVox