We created this illustration to explain the mechanics behind the American-made B-2 bunker buster bomb, which has been mentioned recently in coverage of ongoing events in the Middle East. Dropped from a B-2 stealth bomber flying at an altitude of about 12km, the bomb is accelerated smoothly by gravity — no engine required. Guided by satellite and controlled by movable tail fins, its enormous weight creates intense kinetic energy without impact, propelling the heavy-duty casing up to 60 metres underground. A delayed fuse detonates 2,400kg of explosives deep below the surface.
