> 9/15/2008: Intel News Brief: 1000 "Bunker Buster" GBU-39 Bombs Sold to
> Israel:
>
> The US Department of Defense has notified Congress of a potential sale
> to Israel of 1,000 smart bombs capable of penetrating underground
> bunkers, which would likely be used in the event of a military strike
> on Iran's nuclear facilities.
>
> The notification to Congress was made over the weekend by the Defense
> Security Cooperation Agency, the branch of the Pentagon responsible
> for evaluating foreign military sales. Congress has 30 days to object
> to the deal.
>
> The deal is valued at $77 million and the principal contractor would
> be Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
>
> The bomb Israel wants is the GBU-39, developed in recent years by the
> US as a small-diameter bomb for low-cost, high-precision and low-
> collateral damage strikes.
>
> Israel has also asked for 150 mounting carriages, 30 guided test
> vehicles and two instructors to train the air force in loading the
> bombs on its aircraft.
>
> The GPS-guided GBU-39 is said to be one of the most accurate bombs in
> the world. The 113 kg. bomb has the same penetration capabilities as a
> normal 900 kg. bomb, although it has only 22.7 kg. of explosives. At
> just 1.75 meters long, its small size increases the number of bombs an
> aircraft can carry and the number of targets it can attack in a
> sortie.
>
> Tests conducted in the US have proven that the bomb is capable of
> penetrating at least 90 cm. of steel-reinforced concrete. The GBU-39
> can be used in adverse weather conditions and has a standoff range of
> more than 110 km. due to pop-out wings.
>
> In its recommendation to Congress, the Defense Security Cooperation
> Agency wrote that Israel's strategic position was "vital to the United
> States' interests throughout the Middle East."
>
> "It is vital to the US national interests to assist Israel to develop
> and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed
> sale is consistent with those objectives," the statement read.
>
> The agency's announcement came amid growing concern that the Pentagon
> was not willing to sell Israel advanced military platforms such as
> bunker-buster missiles in an effort to dissuade Jerusalem from
> attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.
>
> Bunker-buster missiles would be a fundamental component of an air
> strike against Iran, since many of the nuclear facilities, such as the
> Natanz uranium enrichment complex, have been built in underground,
> heavily fortified bunkers.
>
> During the Second Lebanon War, Israel reportedly received an emergency
> shipment of bunker-buster missiles from the US to use against
> underground Hizbullah facilities.
>
> Yiftah Shapir, from the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel
> Aviv, said the GBU-39 is one of the most advanced in the world and
> would improve Israel's standoff fire capabilities.
>
> "The bomb is extremely accurate," he said. "All you have to do is
> punch in the coordinates, fire and forget."
>
> He said they could be used to attack Iranian underground facilities
> like Natanz but that they could only penetrate a few meters.
>
> "Hundreds of these would have to be used in an attack on Natanz for it
> to be successful," Shapir said.
> Source: Morning Intel News Brief via Internal Company News Wire-JP