Developing a 2,000‑pound bunker‑buster presents significant engineering challenges, including the need to balance structural strength with aerodynamic stability and ensure compatibility with IAF jets.
By Hezy Laing
Israel is advancing the development of a domestically produced 2,000‑pound “agent‑defeat” bunker‑buster bomb as part of a broader effort to expand its independent long‑range strike capabilities.
The program is being overseen by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development, known as MAFAT, with major participation from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries.
Israeli officials accelerated the project after 2023, when the United States temporarily paused deliveries of certain heavy munitions during the Gaza conflict, highlighting the strategic vulnerability created by reliance on foreign suppliers.
The new weapon is expected to fall within the same weight class as the American GBU‑31 and GBU‑28 bunker‑busters, but with Israeli‑designed guidance, fuzing, and penetration technologies tailored to regional threats.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and former IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi have both emphasized the need for a fully indigenous deep‑strike capability to ensure uninterrupted supply during high‑intensity conflict.
The estimated cost of each unit is projected to range between $150,000 and $250,000, depending on production scale and configuration, placing it in the same financial tier as existing precision‑guided munitions.
The weapon is considered essential due to the growing network of fortified and underground targets across the Middle East, including Hezbollah’s tunnel systems in southern Lebanon, Hamas’s subterranean infrastructure in Gaza, and hardened Iranian military sites.
Israeli analysts note that these threats increasingly require munitions capable of penetrating reinforced structures before neutralizing command centers, weapons depots, or concealed launch facilities.
Developing a 2,000‑pound bunker‑buster presents significant engineering challenges, including the need to balance structural strength with aerodynamic stability and to ensure compatibility with Israeli Air Force platforms such as the F‑15I Ra’am and F‑35I Adir.
Testing and integration are being conducted in cooperation with the IAF’s Flight Testing Center at Tel Nof, where simulations and controlled trials are used to validate safety and performance without revealing sensitive operational details.
Once operational, the new munition is expected to provide Israel with greater strategic autonomy and the ability to maintain substantial stockpiles without depending on U.S. export timelines or congressional approvals.
Officials describe the program as part of a long‑term national effort to expand domestic production of precision weapons and reduce logistical vulnerabilities during prolonged regional conflict.
