The United States which has recently fired missiles at an air base in Syria, has now dropped the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ in Afghanistan. Read this to know how powerful this bomb is.
Originally named Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, it is the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used by America in a combat. The 9.8-tonne guided bomb is known for its sheer power and accuracy. MOAB was first produced for use in the early days of the Iraq war, in 2002-2003 by an Alabama-based aerospace and defence company.
This demolition bomb contains 8,480 kgs of the explosive H6 and a blast yield equivalent to 11 tons of TNT. With 9 metres length and a diameter of 1 metre, it is the largest-ever satellite-guided, air-delivered weapon in history. It reportedly weighs as much as an F-16 fighter jet.
It is a concussive bomb, which means it is designed to detonate before it hits the ground. Its thin aluminum skin maximizes its blast radius and generates a shockwave which can reach up to 150 metres.
The US said the target of Thursday’s bombing was a tunnel in Afghanistan, which have been inhabited by IS sponsored militants to launch deadly attacks on Kabul and other Afghan provinces.
‘The area was so remote that no civilians could possibly be there. So, we went ahead with our plan of bombing. A concussive bomb such as MOAB has the advantage in such area. Its blast can turn corners and go all the way to the furthest reaches of a cave,’ an US Air Force official reportedly said.
The Afghan defense ministry on Friday said that as many as 36 suspected Islamic State militants were killed and no civilian was harmed in Thursday’s bombing.
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