The new contract is valued at $61.5 million and is scheduled for completion by May 2030. The department stated that the purchase is meant to restore inventory levels after fourteen bombs were dropped in June 2025 during a U.S. strike on facilities in Iran linked to the country’s nuclear program.
The bombs were carried by Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit strategic bombers, each of which was equipped with two GBU-57 bombs. The strike marked a significant operational use of the weapon system.
The Department of War has not publicly disclosed details about its stockpile levels. According to some unofficial reports, approximately 20 GBU-57 bombs were held in U.S. Air Force inventories prior to June 2025, and the number of bombs included in the new contract has also not been released.
The GBU-57 bombs, manufactured by Boeing, are designed to destroy fortified ground targets or facilities built underground. The weapon has a total weight of approximately 12,300 kilograms, including 2,425 kilograms of explosive material.
