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US Tests New Weapon For Use In Iraq War: Similar To A Small Nuclear Weapon
NEW YORK: The United States, if it goes to war with Iraq, intends to use a new monster weapon whose explosive punch is equivalent to a small nuclear device, a media report said today.
ABC television network quoted military sources as saying that the weapon, still in the experimental stage, would be used during the first nights of the attack.
The bomb is called MOAB -- short for "Massive Ordnance Air Burst" bomb - and is the bigger version of the 15,000 pound "Daisy Cutter" used in Vietnam, the Gulf war and in Afghanistan.
MOAB is a 21,000-pound bomb that will be pushed out of the back of a C-130 transport and guided by satellite because it is not dropped by parachute, as was the old Daisy Cutter. The aircraft can let it go from far higher altitudes, making it safer for US pilots.
MOAB's massive explosive punch, sources say, is similar to a small nuclear weapon. It is intended to obliterate a command center hidden in tunnels and bunkers or a concentration of Iraqi tanks.
Whatever the target, it must be far from cities where civilians might be hurt. But one important aspect of using this type of weapon, sources say, will be psychological impact on enemy troops. It is intended to terrorize Iraqi troops, drastically reducing their desire to continue the fight, they add.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?artid=38657992
The bomb is called MOAB -- short for "Massive Ordnance Air Burst" bomb - and is the bigger version of the 15,000 pound "Daisy Cutter" used in Vietnam, the Gulf war and in Afghanistan.
MOAB is a 21,000-pound bomb that will be pushed out of the back of a C-130 transport and guided by satellite because it is not dropped by parachute, as was the old Daisy Cutter. The aircraft can let it go from far higher altitudes, making it safer for US pilots.
MOAB's massive explosive punch, sources say, is similar to a small nuclear weapon. It is intended to obliterate a command center hidden in tunnels and bunkers or a concentration of Iraqi tanks.
Whatever the target, it must be far from cities where civilians might be hurt. But one important aspect of using this type of weapon, sources say, will be psychological impact on enemy troops. It is intended to terrorize Iraqi troops, drastically reducing their desire to continue the fight, they add.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?artid=38657992
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US warns residents before testing 'massive' bomb
The US air force is due to test a 21,000lb bomb and is warning Florida residents that they can expect to hear it for miles around.
Officials at Eglin air force base in Florida say the volume of the 'massive ordnance air burst' bomb or MOAB, will depend on the wind, and some people may not hear it at all.
But people living in communities around the western half of Eglin have been told to be ready for an explosion that sounds like thunder or a slamming door.
Officials say the test will be conducted only under the best weather conditions for minimising the sound, and inside a buffer zone to keep a shock wave and debris from the blast inside the base's boundaries.
The MOAB is similar to, but 40% heavier than, the BLU-82 - billed as the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb and known to send up a mushroom cloud similar to a nuclear weapon.
The BLU-82, nicknamed the daisy cutter, was developed during the Vietnam War to clear areas of jungle for use as helicopter landing areas.
It was most recently dropped in Afghanistan on caves where al-Qaida leaders were suspected of hiding.
MOAB is expected to be ready for use this year if the test is successful.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_759247.html
The US air force is due to test a 21,000lb bomb and is warning Florida residents that they can expect to hear it for miles around.
Officials at Eglin air force base in Florida say the volume of the 'massive ordnance air burst' bomb or MOAB, will depend on the wind, and some people may not hear it at all.
But people living in communities around the western half of Eglin have been told to be ready for an explosion that sounds like thunder or a slamming door.
Officials say the test will be conducted only under the best weather conditions for minimising the sound, and inside a buffer zone to keep a shock wave and debris from the blast inside the base's boundaries.
The MOAB is similar to, but 40% heavier than, the BLU-82 - billed as the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb and known to send up a mushroom cloud similar to a nuclear weapon.
The BLU-82, nicknamed the daisy cutter, was developed during the Vietnam War to clear areas of jungle for use as helicopter landing areas.
It was most recently dropped in Afghanistan on caves where al-Qaida leaders were suspected of hiding.
MOAB is expected to be ready for use this year if the test is successful.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_759247.html
Mikey loves blood and guts, as long as it's not his!
Sorry, but at 21,000# this isn't even close to the smallest possible nuclear bomb. That's the order of 10 tons. The little bombs (by today's standards) dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were around 10 KILO tons. It'd take a THOUSAND of these to equal one Hiroshima/Nagasaki size blast.
And they aren't close to the biggest conventional explosive blast experienced. Back in 1916 the small frieghter Mont Blanc was in collision and caught fire in the harbor of Halifax Nova Scotia and its cargo of about 3000 tons (3 kilotons) of picric acid and guncotten exploded (taking out a lot of the city).
And they aren't close to the biggest conventional explosive blast experienced. Back in 1916 the small frieghter Mont Blanc was in collision and caught fire in the harbor of Halifax Nova Scotia and its cargo of about 3000 tons (3 kilotons) of picric acid and guncotten exploded (taking out a lot of the city).
Explosive strength is measured as equivalent to so-and-so many tons of TNT. A 10-ton bomb of "conventional explosive" might be in the kiloton range if that "conventional explosive" has 100x the blast, per weight, of TNT. It probably doesn't, but it might be quite a bit more than 1x the blast of TNT. Anyone know for sure?
...or they are going to use nukes and need a cover story.
>Mikey loves blood and guts,
This refers to a comment that was hidden because it contained a link to an Mad Mikey's blog.
No, you cannot advertise neo-con blogs on this site. Mad Mikey is banned. All future posts by Mad Mikey will be removed immediately.
This refers to a comment that was hidden because it contained a link to an Mad Mikey's blog.
No, you cannot advertise neo-con blogs on this site. Mad Mikey is banned. All future posts by Mad Mikey will be removed immediately.
Nuclear explosions leave fingerprints.
Uranium can be analyzed to determine its manufacturer, ie oak ridge, enriched at k-25, down to the batch. The DOE has that kind of information on many reactors around the world, french, russians, all make enriched uranium.
Explosives like HDX (octol) yield (more energy released) more per pound than TNT. But not exponentially more.
21000lbs 10.5 tons .0105 kt (drop in the ocean)
Hiroshima 15kt. 30000000 lbs
10 mega ton. 20000000000lbs
10 mt airburst over SF woild kill >90% of people in a 8 mile diameter.
Scary stuff.
Uranium can be analyzed to determine its manufacturer, ie oak ridge, enriched at k-25, down to the batch. The DOE has that kind of information on many reactors around the world, french, russians, all make enriched uranium.
Explosives like HDX (octol) yield (more energy released) more per pound than TNT. But not exponentially more.
21000lbs 10.5 tons .0105 kt (drop in the ocean)
Hiroshima 15kt. 30000000 lbs
10 mega ton. 20000000000lbs
10 mt airburst over SF woild kill >90% of people in a 8 mile diameter.
Scary stuff.
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