The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has disclosed how Iranian forces attempted to shield the Fordow nuclear facility with concrete barriers before U.S. forces executed a methodical penetration strike using advanced bunker-busting weapons.
General Dan Caine revealed Iranian defensive preparations during a CNN media coverage, explaining how Tehran tried to protect the underground installation. “In the days preceding the attack against Fordow, the Iranians attempted to cover the shafts with concrete to try to prevent an attack,” he stated.
The general described the sequential attack methodology that overcame Iranian defenses through coordinated weapon deployment. “The cap was forcibly removed by the first weapon, and the main shaft was uncovered. Weapons two, three, four, and five were tasked to enter. The main shaft moved down into the complex at greater than 1,000 ft per second and exploded in the mission space,” Caine explained.
According to Caine, the operation employed Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) weapons in a carefully orchestrated sequence. The initial MOP removed the concrete covering, while subsequent bombs penetrated the exposed shaft to strike critical infrastructure within the facility. A sixth weapon served as backup contingency for the complex operation.
The general detailed the MOP’s formidable specifications, emphasizing its unique capability to breach heavily fortified underground installations. The weapon measures approximately 20.5 feet in length with a 31.5-inch diameter, carrying a 6,000-pound warhead designed to penetrate facilities buried up to 200 feet deep.
Only B-2 stealth bombers can deploy MOPs operationally, carrying two weapons internally to maintain the aircraft’s radar-evading characteristics. This limitation requires precise mission planning and coordination for multi-weapon strikes like the Fordow operation.
Caine explained the technical sophistication behind each weapon’s programming, noting that MOPs consist of steel construction, explosives, and programmable fuses designed for specific tactical effects. “Each bomb has a unique impact angle, arrival, final heading, and fuse setting, which determines when the weapon would explode,” he said.
The fuse timing proves critical for maximizing penetration effectiveness, with longer delays allowing deeper target penetration before detonation. This capability enables MOPs to destroy infrastructure located far below ground level, making them particularly effective against hardened nuclear facilities.
The Fordow facility, built within a mountain near Qom, represents one of Iran’s most protected nuclear installations. Its underground location and natural barriers have long made it a challenging target for conventional weapons, highlighting the significance of the successful penetration strike.
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