The Boeing has secured a contract valued at more than $100 million to deliver Guided Bomb Units and the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator to the United States Air Force.
A partially redacted justification for the sole-source award states that the purchase is essential to rebuild inventories following Operation Midnight Hammer, the US military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure last year.
Authorities determined that Boeing remains the only qualified producer of the advanced bunker-busting munition and that engaging an alternative supplier would cause significant delays. The contract includes additional tail assemblies and fully assembled rounds, with deliveries expected to commence in January 2028. The quantity procured has not been publicly disclosed.
In June 2025, B-2 Spirit bombers deployed 14 GBU-57s against Iran’s Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities, representing the first operational use of the weapon.
The 30,000-pound bomb measures 21 feet in length and 32 inches in diameter and employs a GPS-guided BLU-127/B penetrating warhead designed for hardened underground targets.
Production Wind-Down and Future Development
US officials confirmed that production of the GBU-57 will conclude once the current acquisition is completed, as the Pentagon shifts its focus to the more advanced Next-Generation Penetrator program.
The NGP effort will be conducted under an open competition framework aimed at fostering innovation and independent development across hardware, software, and interface systems.
While program specifics remain limited, an Air Force request for information indicates a requirement for a penetrator warhead under 22,000 pounds capable of delivering combined blast, fragmentation, and deep-penetration effects, along with enhanced detonation accuracy.
