Boeing to improve Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs

ST. LOUIS, Mo., 14 April 2012. Boeing was awarded a $98.8 million contract to procure an enhanced threat response redesign for the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) as a quick reaction capability program. The contract was awarded by Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The MOP is a 30,000 lb, 20.5 foot long and 31.5 inch wide, GPS-guided bomb. It is designed to destroy targets that are deep underground such as tunnel facilities and bunkers. The weapon was originally meant to penetrate 200 feet underground before detonating. The massive bomb can be carried aboard the B-52 Stratofortress or the B-2 Spirit bombers.

The program, which originally started as the "Big BLU" program in 2002, has been in the works for 10 years. The Air Force has received 16 MOPs as of November 2011. In February of this year Boeing was awarded a $18 million contract for accelerated MOP effort, regression testing and a fuze risk reduction effort.

Work on this new contract will take place at the Boeing's St. Louis facility and is expected to be completed by March 30 of 2014.