Selling Bunker Buster Bombs

A recent news report announces the US government's intention to sell the latest version "bunker-buster", Guided Bomb Unit-39 (GBU-39), bomb to Israel.

Most U.S. Air Force aircraft are able to carry a pack of four of these bombs in place of a single one-ton bomb. The bomb's small size allows a single-strike aircraft to carry more of the munitions than is possible utilizing currently available bomb units, thus increasing firepower, or, alternatively, allowing the aircraft to fly longer distances to deliver a single bomb.

During demonstrations, the GBU-39 - labeled by the manufacturer, Boeing, as a Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) - has successfully penetrated more than 1.8 meters of thick reinforced concrete with a 23-kilogram warhead. The GPS-guided weapon is said to have a 50-percent probability of hitting its intended target within 5-8 meters, which should minimize collateral damage.

And there you have it. The escalation of firepower distributed around the world continues day by day. The United States is the largest supplier of military supplies in the world today. We sell these systems in the name of "national security" and talk about reducing "collateral damage" in the same conversation.

Today we live in a world which contains enough firepower to scorch the earth many times over. Would we not be better in the end if we found ways to reduce that collection of weapons rather than increasing the distribution?

An escalating arms race has been the focus of much activity in recent years around the globe. Every nation seems bent on owning the most damaging weaponry available. To what end? Will we as a species end our existence on earth by using these weapons against one another?

Peace.