What is the "mother of all bombs" and how is it unique?

"Mother of all bombs" is the unofficial transcript of the abbreviations of the names of the munition explosive action GBU-43/B (MOAB), first developed and tested by the us military at the beginning of the third Millennium. At the time of development of this product was considered the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in history of mankind.

The Background

The Palm to the novelty of the bomb BLU-82 with the romantic name of "lawn mower daisies", weighing 6.8 tons. The predecessor had by that time an impressive track record, which stated:

• The War in South Vietnam (to clear the jungle under the helipad and the elimination of manpower, 1970),
• Conflict associated with the Khmer Rouge capture the Cambodian ship "Mayaguez (1975),
• Iraqi mission "desert Storm" (1991),
• The Afghan campaign (2001).

Despite the military achievements, the BLU-82 had significant shortcomings - not sufficiently high aerodynamic properties and the lack of a guidance system. To rectify the situation he summoned the specialists of the military-industrial company Northrop-Grumman and the developers of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

"the Mother of all bombs."

Proposed by the designers of the project of the heavy bombs of high-explosive action (abbreviation MOAB), was approved by senior officials of the U.S. air force. By the beginning of 2003 a new product GBU-43 was ready for testing.

In combat gear bomb weighing 9.84 tons (1,4 times more than BLU-82). The projectile, which had a length of 917 cm and a diameter of about one meter quickly got alternative transcript abbreviations - Mother Of All Bombs ("Mother of all bombs"). Photo gives an idea of relative simplicity of product design - inside a metal case and 8.4 tons of explosive H-6, which is more than 11 tons of TNT (trotyl additive in the mass of RDX and aluminum powder increases its efficiency by more than a third). At the same time, this kind of explosives is very stable, that allows you to safely store and transport a huge weapon.

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Bomb equipped with a parachute - thanks to the latticed rudders and aerodynamic bearing surfaces, it is able to plan, together with satellite guidance system ensures high accuracy of hitting the target. The radius of total destruction of armored vehicles and manpower of the opponent: 140 meters, the shock wave visible at a distance of more than 1.5 km from the epicenter.

First test

"Mother of all bombs" - weapons are very unique and specific in the sense that not every military transport plane capable of delivering it to the place of combat operation. In the US air force are suitable for this purpose, only aircraft of the two models - "the tug" C-130 HERCULES and strategic bomber b-2 SPIRIT. Pulling a cargo platform attached MOAB is a special parachute system. After leaving the plane, "the mother of all bombs" is released from the auxiliary device and begins independent flight.

In March 2003 he was made the first relief inert projectile (instead of explosives rubber, or concrete to save weight characteristics), and four days later, after checking the aerodynamic qualities - reset fully kitted MOAB (base Eglin, FL). Performed tests and obtained results have impressed military experts, and producers received an order for three similar products.

Weapons of mass intimidation

Only it was made 15 combat units GBU-43. The cost of each sample is about $16 million According to experts, the explosion of the "mother of all bombs" is characterized not only with impressive destructive power, but mainly is intended to show the enemy the strength and power of the United States, to have a demoralizing effect on the fighting part of the enemy.

Premiere demonstration of a dangerous weapon was held in Iraq in late 2003. Bomb was even delivered to the territory of the Arab state, but for a number of reasons for its intended purpose was not used.

From a gun on sparrows

About 15 years of the most terrible non-nuclear munition of the United States was not a worthy goal.

Finally, on 13 April 2017, in the province of Nangarhar in Afghanistan "mother of all bombs" were dropped on the network of underground communications of the militants of the Islamic state. According to the press Secretary of the White house W. Spicer, caves and tunnels contributed to the free and uncontrolled movement of terrorists, which created a real threat to the government forces of Afghanistan and the lives of American military advisers.

Experts carefully prepared the operation for several months. From the U.S. "mother of all bombs" in Afghanistan to combat work brought the plane MC-130. The authorities of the States have not yet provided specific information on the results of the bombing, but President J. trump endorsed the military's actions, calling the mission "very successful". News agencies (e.g. France-Presse), based on information from its own sources, saying,that air strikes could suffer from 40 to 90 extremists.

Representatives of ISIS completely deny this information, declaring that there was no damage to the underground infrastructure and manpower caused was not.

Many experts consider the operation successful demonstration action, a cautionary other countries from conflict with the United States, but completely devoid of any tactical sense.

Dad might...

At the present day the GBU-43 is not the most powerful weapon. The ranking of the most destructive non-nuclear munitions, head of the Russian aviation vacuum bomb of increased power, named by analogy with the American MOAB, "dad of all bombs." Its capacity in a trotyl equivalent to four times the overseas sample, and the area of the target surface is 20 times! While the vacuum bomb has a much lower weight (weight of explosives to 7.1 t). The first bomb was dropped from the strategic bomber Tu-160 and successfully tested in September 2007. According to the obtained results, a table of the likely affected areas.

A Clear advantage of the Russian development is what bombing can be done under all weather conditions from altitudes of 200 to 1,000 meters at speeds from 500 to 1100 km/h.