12-01-2013, 12:54
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חבר מתאריך: 13.11.04
הודעות: 16,823
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מאמר על חשיבות BUNKER BUSTERS
פורם בקיץ 2012 על ידי מכון המחקר הבריטי העצמאי RUSI, בהקשר הבריטי צו"בי כמובן. שימו לב לניתוח של המתקנים האירניים
Bunker Busters – an Indispensable Strategic Capability
http://www.rusi.org/downloads/asset...01206_Smith.pdf
UK adversaries worldwide are reinforcing, strengthening and protecting leaders, military personnel, equipment and other high-value assets using what are known as ‘hard and deeply buried’ targets (HDBTs). Historically, it was the emergence of concrete-hardened surface shelters that posed the problem. However, facilities now range from hardened, surface bunker complexes to tunnel facilities deep underground. HDBTs are typically large, well concealed and often resilient to conventional weaponry, and put an
additional reliance on intelligence and surveillance capabilities to characterize the structure, geology, information systems, equipment and status in order to optimize any precision kinetic effects. It is estimated that around 10,000 HDBTs exist worldwide, guarding countries’ highly prized assets.
This places huge importance on optimisation of the warhead design, demonstrated by the MBDA-built Storm Shadow’s Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge (BROACH) capability. The emergence of the 2,700lb MBDA Storm Shadow and 2,000lb Raytheon Enhanced Paveway III missiles in the recent Libya campaign confirmed and validated the importance of a precision bunker buster capability as the ‘first night of war’ weapon against strategic targets. Currently, the Storm Shadow missile is undergoing a midlife upgrade that is expected to solidify its place as the UK’s go-to bunker buster
, the USAF has complete autonomy over the delivery of the MOP capability, thought to have been built with one eye on the underground Iranian nuclear facilities. US Lieutenant General Herbert Carlisle describes the weapon as having “great capability and we are continuing to make it better.” The US Congress recently approved a request by the Pentagon for an $81 million (£51.9 million) upgrade to the weapon. Being so large and potentially devastating, it is the largest bunker-buster capability currently in active operation. With the focus on international political tensions regarding Iranian nuclear interests, it is also important to note that Israel is improving its bunker-buster capability – growing its qualitative military capability with the development of the MPR-500 in 2012, a 500lb bunker-buster weapon, and the approval of the sale of GBU-39 bunker busters from the US in 2011.
Three of the vast number of Iranian nuclear facilities are known to exhibit underground characteristics: the uranium-enrichment facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Available satellite imagery of the Natanz facility suggests that it possesses three large underground caverns, most probably to facilitate the uranium centrifuges. These concrete-covered rooms are well within the capability of current, conventional, bunker-buster technology The Fordow and Esfahan facilities, however, remain an enigma. Without
credible intelligence on the internal layout, structures and depths of the tunnels, the penetration feasibility remains unclear. However, without the MOP, any unilateral attack would inflict only superficial damage to the Iranian nuclear regime. Even with the MOP, the USAF is rushing through plans to upgrade the weapon; highlighting American concern at Iranian bunker technologies, including the mastery of ‘ultra-high-performance concrete’ to protect its facilities.It is also important to note that bunker-buster missiles are typically tested against concrete targets. The Fordow and Esfahan facilities are tunneled into the side of rocky terrain, which makes penetration assessments more difficult and less accurate. Bunker-buster capability would be advised as a final resort after all political and economic discussions are exhausted. Even if deployed, they are not guaranteed to entirely neutralise Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but would be expected to delay technology development by between five and 10 years. |
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