The operation Midnight hammerthat last June carried out USA and Israelagainst underground nuclear facilities in Iran He had as the protagonist a fearsome weapon that had not been used until then: The pump breaks GBU -57 bunkers. These bombs, called MOP (acronym in English of Massive artillery penetrator) and with a weight of more than 13,600 kilos Each one has the ability to penetrate until 60 meters underground and 18 Through concrete Before exploding. Almost a month after the operation, Chinese military scientists claim identified a possible weakness in this weapon which only the US army has.
The research of the team led by Cui Xingyiof the Northwestern Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering of Chinahas been published in the magazine Journal of Gun Launch and Control. According to the Xingyi team, although the GBU -57 nose is strongly reinforced, Its steel sides barely measure a few centimeters thickwhich would make them vulnerable to anti -aircraft projectiles.
To demonstrate their theory, the researchers resorted, in computer simulations, to Swiss cannons Oerlikon GDFwidely used in the Middle East, also in Iran. These weapons can shoot 36 projectiles in two seconds With a probability of impact of the 42 % to 1,200 meters. However, they also warn that this countermelted requires an extremely precise radar monitoring, an effective electronic war strategy and protection against enemy attacks.
During the bombers attack B – 2 Spirit From the United States, the only ones who can launch the GBU -57, on June 22, it was reported that they barely found resistance. The 14 mop launched, designed to penetrate deep underground bunkers, achieved their goals without facing significant aerial defenses.
According to South China Morning Post, Chinese researchers explain that, although the egg -shaped nose of the GBU -57 diverts frontal impacts, their sides present A weak point that could fracture with just a couple of anti -aircraft projectiles.
So that a projectile penetrates the pump must Impact at an angle of less than 68 degrees; Otherwise, it will bounce. The tests indicate that penetration through the sides of the GBU -57 fails when launched more than 1,500 meters away, but less than 1,100 meters the heat and shrapnel can light the inert explosives that it contains.
There is another tactical difficulty. The interceptors must Point prior to a specific point on the flight trajectory of the GBU -57. The closer that reference point, More stable will remain the cannonsa strategy that researchers call ‘sniper fire control’.
This sniper -type interception tactic offers several advantages. Prior to a specific point of the trajectory Decreases demands on servomechanismswhich are used to constantly adjust the orientation and movement of anti -aircraft such as cannons, and eliminates the need for continuous calculations, which reduces response time to only 1 millisecond. Researchers also point out that this approach is viable with existing technologyso it could be applied in a short time to neutralize incoming drilling pumps.
Although this strategy can be viable, the reality of the battlefield is more complicated. Air forces can launch attacks To destroy the interceptors before the bombing missions, thus eliminating the defenses. In addition, many bombs perform Evasive maneuvers just before the impact, which makes it difficult to provide for its trajectory and reduces the opportunities to intercept them in the narrow strip of effectiveness of 1,200 meters, whichonly a second fraction lasts.
Finally, the authors of the study warn that these strategies, Designed for Chinese defense systemsthey may not be effective in other contexts due to differences in the field, the threats of the environment and the technologies available.