Experts in China assess combat debut of US bunker-busting GBU-57 in Iran

Chinese military analysts have closely followed Saturday’s US strikes on Iranian facilities, especially the bombs used – the GBU-57, a powerful “bunker buster” designed to penetrate deeply buried targets.

While praising the success of the B-2 stealth bombers’ long-range delivery and the bunker busters’ performance, they also pointed out the limitations the bomb’s effectiveness, especially against sites like Fordow that are deep underground.

Mainland China is believed to have the world’s most extensive underground bunker systems and has developed its own bunker-busting weapons, with ambitions to target facilities including those deep within the mountains of Taiwan.

So how do Chinese military analysts view the US bomber strike action and what it entailed? And what is China’s approach to the development of its own bunker-busting arsenal?

Combat debut

A total of 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) were dropped by seven B-2 stealth bombers in the early hours of Sunday local time, striking Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow nuclear site as well as facilities at Natanz.