One interesting fact about the MOP: The US appears to have tested it against a real underground facility just 30 kilometers south of the site of the world’s first nuclear weapons test. Thread from a recent OSINT side quest. 1/10

The US military has been understandably reluctant to share detailed information about live tests of the MOP. However, several press releases do mention that MOP tests took place at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. 2/10

WSMR is a vast range that also includes the Trinity Site, where the US detonated the ‘Gadget’ in 1945. While the area is huge, publicly available environmental impact studies contain detailed maps of its sub-sites and exhaustive information on how munitions testing affects bats and insects. 3/10

Three sub-sites operated by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) stand out: SHIST, ALT SHIST, and the Capitol Peak Hard Target Defeat Test Bed. All three are underground facilities built for the purpose of testing munitions. 4/10

All three also appear to have been involved in the testing and development of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). 5/10

Capitol Peak HTD (33.4202°N, 106.4264°W) is particularly interesting. Construction was completed by 2003, and by 2007 it was used for a static test of the MOP in one of the tunnels. 6/10

By 2022, two clearly defined craterless holes had appeared on top of the facility (roughly 80 meters above the entrance level if Google Earth is to be believed). 8/10

A test run for Fordo? There is not enough evidence to prove it conclusively, but there is enough data to support the idea that the DTRA-run underground facilities at White Sands have played a major role in MOP testing and development. 9/10

As always, additions, comments and corrections are welcome. End. 10/10