What is a bunker buster?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

A bunker buster is a guided bomb that is designed to penetrate layers of rock, earth, or concrete before exploding. It is a type of hard-target munition. One such device is the U.S. GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) bomb that can penetrate roughly 200 feet (60 meters) of solid concrete. The GBU-57 A/B is equipped with a void-sensing fuze that can detect when the weapon has reached an open space, such as an underground room or bunker, at which point the bomb detonates. The United States used the GBU-57 A/B in strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during fighting between Israel and Iran in 2025.