GBU-57 MOP

USA · 2007 · 2.6 tons TNT · conventional high-explosive

Overview

Massive Ordnance Penetrator - bunker buster.

With a yield of 2.6 tons TNT, the GBU-57 MOP is 5769× smaller than the Hiroshima bomb. It is a conventional high-explosive weapon that releases its energy through chemical reactions, not nuclear processes.

GBU-57 MOP Blast Effects

The table below shows the calculated radius of each effect zone for an air burst (optimal altitude, maximum blast spread) and a surface burst (ground level, with massive radioactive fallout). Formulas are scaling laws from The Effects of Nuclear Weapons (Glasstone & Dolan, 1977).

Effect zoneAir burstSurface burst
Fireball radius0.01 km0.01 km
Severe blast (20 PSI)0.07 km0.04 km
Moderate blast (5 PSI)0.14 km0.08 km
Light blast (1 PSI)0.41 km0.23 km
3rd-degree thermal burns0.06 km0.04 km
2nd-degree thermal burns0.10 km0.06 km
Lethal fallout zoneminimal~1.1 km

All values are 1-D ground-distance estimates from the detonation point. Real-world effects depend on terrain, weather, and building construction.

Run the GBU-57 MOP on a City

Use the interactive simulator to detonate the GBU-57 MOP on any city worldwide. Click any location on the map to see the fireball, blast, and thermal radii overlaid on real geography with population-density-based casualty estimates.

🎯 Simulate GBU-57 MOP

Related Weapons

FAQ

How big is the GBU-57 MOP blast radius?

In an air burst, the GBU-57 MOP produces a fireball roughly 0.01 km in radius and a 5 PSI moderate-blast zone of about 0.14 km — the area in which most residential buildings would collapse. The 1 PSI light-damage radius extends to roughly 0.41 km, where windows shatter.

What is the yield of the GBU-57 MOP?

The GBU-57 MOP has a yield of 2.6 tons TNT of TNT equivalent. That is 5769× smaller than the Hiroshima bomb.

Is the GBU-57 MOP bigger than the Hiroshima bomb?

The Hiroshima bomb (Little Boy) had a yield of approximately 15 kilotons. The GBU-57 MOP at 2.6 tons TNT is 5769× smaller than the Hiroshima bomb.

Sources: declassified DOE/DOD records, FAS, SIPRI, Glasstone & Dolan. See the full Weapons Database or learn about the scientific methodology.