Milliyet.com.tr / A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft drops a 5,000-pound laser-guided GBU-28"Bunker Buster" bomb over the Utah Test and Training Range, August 2009.
Washington has a large military presence spread across the Middle East and around the world that it could use in a potential conflict against Iran. This gives him many options as he considers one of the most critical foreign policy decisions of his presidency.
Trump’s arsenal includes extremelydestructive bombers, long-range stealth bombers, a carrier strike group, naval destroyers, and U.S. troops. This gives Trump a number of military options should he decide to provide more direct support to Israel. Some assets, such as the B-2 bomber , are in the U.S., while others are already stationed in the region or on their way.
MOP bomb, also known as a bunker buster. AP (Archive)
GPS GUIDED SHELTER DRILLING
The Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), more commonly known as a bunker-busting bomb, weighs in at 30,000 pounds (13,600 kg) and is the world’s largest precision-guided weapon. Manufactured by Boeing, the GPS-guided bomb is often touted as the only weapon that can completely stop Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. That would require a successful attackon the heavily fortified enrichment facility at Fordow.
Many experts believe that destroying the Fordo nuclear facility, which is hidden under the mountain and is thought to be buried at a depth of approximately 60 to 90 meters, is only possible with the US-owned MOP, or bunker busters.
Each bunker buster can be targeted and released independently. “This makes it possible to place one MOP right on top of another,” says Lexington Institute analyst Rebecca Grant. Drone surveillance of the area could also allow for last-minute “fine-tuning” of the attack, Grant said. She added that the US has been studying Iranian nuclear facilities like Fordo for years.
IF MOP IS USED, B-2'S WILL ALSO COME INTO ACTION
Using the MOP would also bring into play the only aircraft capable of carrying these bombs, the B-2 stealth bomber. The B-2s could take off from Whiteman Air Base in the US state of Missouri and fly thousands of kilometers to drop bombs deep inside Iran.
B-2 stealth bomber.
The US demonstrated the power of this B-2 fleet in October, when they took off from Whiteman and struck underground Iranian-backed Houthi weapons facilities. Earlier this year, as many as six B-2s were seen on a runway on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean ; the deployment was interpreted as a message to Iran and the Houthis. The Air Force announced that the aircraft returned to their bases in May.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the long-term military presence in the Middle East, would play a key role in any operation against Iran. The command includes command of forces based in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It includes forces from different branches of the military and special operations units.
FUELING PLANES ARE ALSO ON THE WAY
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the command to “deploy additional capabilities.” The administration is also sending up to 20 KC-135 and next-generation KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft to undisclosed locations in an effort to increase the reach of U.S. air power, according to defense officials.
These resources will give Trump additional flexibility in how he proceeds. According to the most recent CENTCOM data, the number of U.S. military personnel in the region ranges from 40,000 to 45,000, including the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy.
The navy will also play a key role. It can take an active role in any action against Iran, and is already used to protect Israel from retaliatory attacks.
CARL VINSON ATTACK GROUP
The USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group has been deployed in the Arabian Sea region for seven months. According to the Navy, there are about 3,000 sailors on the ship and 2,000 personnel in the air wing.
This air wing includes F-35 and F-18 fighter jets, EA-18 aircraft that can jam enemy radar and communication systems, E-2Ds with advanced radar systems that can detect threats faster, as well as Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and Sea Hawk helicopters.
TWO DESTROYERS IN THE RED SEA
In addition to the aircraft carrier at the center of the group, the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and several guided missile destroyers accompany the strike group. Another strike group, led by the USS Nimitz , is currently sailing in the Indo-Pacific region to replace the Vinson group.
The Navy also has three Aegis missile defense destroyers stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean: USS Arleigh Burke, USS The Sullivans and USS Thomas Hudner. Two more ships will join them shortly, according to defense officials. Two more destroyers are also deployed in the Red Sea.
