Northrop Grumman has begun figuring out how to integrate the new Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound class weapon, on the B-2 bomber, under a $2.5 million contract a company release says Northrop received June 1 from Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Boeing is the developer of the MOP, which is GPS-guided and contains more than 5,300 pounds of conventional explosives—enough to penetrate deeply buried and hardened targets. Northrop will be converting the B-2’s weapons bays to house the MOP, one in each bay. Dave Mazur, Northrop’s Integrated Systems VP for long-range strike, says the Air Force has yet to decide whether it will go for a limited MOP operational capability or proceed with “a more comprehensive development program.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is directing the Pentagon to slash the number of senior generals and admirals, he announced May 5—at least 20 percent of four-star positions would be eliminated under the move. Hegseth also said he is directing a sweeping review of U.S. military commands and staffs, signaling…