The US Air Force has awarded Applied Research Associates (ARA) a 24-month contract to develop the Next Generation Penetrator (NGP), a successor to the GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The NGP will target hardened bunkers and tunnels with improved penetration, blast, and fragmentation effects. ARA will produce sub-scale and full-scale prototypes, working with Boeing on tail kit development. The GBU-57/B, weighing 30,000 pounds, was used operationally in Operation Midnight Hammer to strike Iranian underground facilities. Lessons from that mission will inform the NGP design. Future requirements aim for a weapon under 22,000 pounds with advanced fuzing for accuracy. The Air Force has requested $73.7 million in FY2026 for continued research and testing, ensuring U.S. dominance in deep-penetration strike capability.