Transferring arms to partners willing to fight is clearly preferable to sending American troops into battle. But can the U.S. Arsenal of Democracy support Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel simultaneously? The answer is YES. Here’s why: 🧵.

RT @ivanastradner: I know the world is too busy with daily news cycles and sadly, nowadays most people in the West are desensitized when au….

RT @Rebel44CZ: I have updated the infographic of Russian equipment losses provided by @valka_online in the Oryx loss list article https://t….

Ukrainians will be the primary victims of the Trump administration’s decision to withhold the means of self-defense from a democratic partner fighting for its survival against an authoritarian regime, and the consequences will likely ripple far beyond Ukraine.

RT @Brad_L_Bowman: ‘Only Encourage the Aggressor’: Trump Administration Pauses Critical Weapons Shipments to Ukraine. A new @FDD Policy Bri….

RT @FDD: 🛡️ How does the U.S. defend against missile and drone attacks?. From THAAD to Patriot, Aegis to C-RAM, FDD experts break down the….

RT @FDD: U.S. Strikes Nuclear Sites, Iran Retaliates With Ballistic Missiles. @FDD_CMPP's @RyanBrobst_ and @Brad_L_Bowman's latest policy b….

RT @Brad_L_Bowman: The B-2s that played the primary role in the U.S. strikes on Iran came from U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, which….

Gen. Caine mentioned the use of “high-speed suppression weapons” used by the protection package. This likely refers to HARM/AARGM/AARGM-ER missiles. They lock on to radar emissions and fly at supersonic speeds to strike before radars turn off or relocate to a new position.

RT @CraigMSingleton: 🚨 #Israel’s air campaign against #Iran has laid bare the chasm between #China’s great-power rhetoric and its ability t….

RT @FDD: .@RyanBrobst_ tells @NPR a common misconception about bunker busters is that they depend on a large amount of explosives to do the….

@FDD @thewarzonewire Key takeaway: The key differentiating factor between bunker busters and other types of weapons is their hardened casings, not the amount of explosives they carry. (7/7).

@FDD @thewarzonewire More recent government solicitations show the casing for the BLU-122 penetrator, “a 5000 pound class of penetrator warhead case”, weighed approximately 3,664 lbs. That leaves roughly 1,300 lbs for the rest of the weapon, including guidance, fusing, and explosive filler. (6/7).

@FDD @thewarzonewire Similarly, the initial version of the GBU-28 bunker buster reportedly weighed 4,700 lbs, with 630 lbs of explosives, ~13% explosive filler. (5/7).

@FDD @thewarzonewire reported that the GBU-57/B version of the MOP weighed a total of 27,125 pounds, including 5,342 pounds of explosives. That’s only ~20% explosive filler, contrasting with the ~50% explosive filler in the general-purpose Mark 84 2,000-lb class bomb. (4/7).

@FDD Here’s a video explanation of what a strike could look like. (3/7)

This @FDD graphic explains the employment of a GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). Important to note that each MOP can create effects on the terrain that can impact the performance of subsequent ordnance. The weaponeering process takes into account these variables. (2/7)

Common misconception: Bunker busters use large amounts of explosives to reach their target. Reality: Their hardened cases + high speed impact is the primary factor that enables penetrating strikes. Think more “drilling”, less high explosive excavation. (1/7).

What are bunker busters? How do they work? What is the payload of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)? Find out here:

RT @FDD: .@RyanBrobst_: "The Pentagon should ensure that additional air and missile defenses are among the assets sent to the region. Leavi….

If past is prologue, the attack on Al-Asad Air Base will not be the last time Iran or its proxies target U.S. troops with drones or other munitions. The Trump administration should move quickly to ensure that U.S. forces have the additional ground, air, and naval assets needed to.