U.S. Requires Unique Aircraft to Target Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility

The United States would need a specialized bomber with extraordinary capabilities if it were to seriously consider targeting Iran’s deeply buried Fordow nuclear site, a retired Air Force officer revealed to Fox News.

Lt. Gen. Mark Weatherington, now retired, previously led the 8th Air Force and has flown the B-2 bomber, the only aircraft capable of deploying the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) necessary for such a mission.

Currently, only the U.S. possesses a bomb with the ability to penetrate to such depths, as Israel and Iran continue their exchange of less formidable missile attacks.

“The B-2 is a singular aircraft in America’s arsenal,” Weatherington told chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin. “No other plane in the world combines low-observability with a large payload and extensive range like this. It’s the exclusive carrier of the GBU-57, the massive 30,000-pound bunker-buster we’re discussing today.”

Weatherington, an expert in bomber aircraft, has also piloted the B-1 and B-52.

“The B-2 is an exceptional aircraft, extremely advanced technologically,” he explained. “It’s a flying wing that handles quite well. While it may not be as fast as some other planes, it’s built to evade radar and remain undetected, carrying a massive payload to places unreachable by any other means.”

The existing fleet of B-2 bombers is based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri.

Weatherington noted the distance to Fordow is approximately 6,000 miles, requiring several refueling stops. Although the B-2 isn’t completely silent, it is designed to dodge detection.

The mission to neutralize Fordow would be extremely complex, he added.

Addressing claims from Russia and China about developing aircraft comparable to the B-2, Weatherington commented that despite their advancements, the U.S. Air Force still boasts unparalleled capabilities. The B-2 is manufactured by Northrop Grumman.

In discussions with former CENTCOM intelligence officer Todd Sawhill, a Naval intelligence adviser for Middle Eastern targets, Griffin learned that while it’s uncertain if the MOP can dismantle Fordow, precision in deploying the bomb could make it possible.

“There are variables that would come into play in such a scenario,” Sawhill remarked.