The brief history and power of GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb were revealed.
GBU-43 – The history and power of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb or commonly tagged as the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ were exposed.
Recently, the strike of the US military to ISIS in Afghanistan has sparked lots of news reports and elicited reactions. Reportedly, the bomb that was dropped in Nangarhar province was the powerful GBU-43/B MOAB bomb.
Based on a report in BBC News, the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ is a GPS-guided munition which is designed to cause destruction to tunnels and underground facilities.
Furthermore, it is stated that the huge weapon’s major effect is a ‘massive blast wave.’ The bomb’s thin casing made of aluminum is for the purpose of maximizing the radius of the blast.
According to the news report, it was on year 2003 that the huge weapon was first tested. Its development cost $16 million each and it was made for the utilization in the Iraq war but it has not been used.
However, the GBU-43/B MOAB bomb is not the heaviest non-nuclear bomb of the US Military rather it is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator or MOP which is 30,000 lb in weight.
Based on a previous news report, it was on the tunnels used by the ISIS in attacking the forces of the government that the bomb was dropped into.
According to the news, the US military has previously estimated that the number of ISIS active fighters on the area range from 600 up to 800. 36 ISIS fighters were killed by the strike according to Afghan officials.
However, on a statement in Arabic distributed by Amaq News Agency, the ISIS claimed that none of their members was hurt or left dead by the attack.
The GBU-43/B MOAB Bomb “was the right weapon against the right target” according to commander for US forces in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson when he was speaking to the press.
According to the General, the strike was done in coordination with Afghanistan officials. Based on the news report, Afghan Pres. Ashraf Ghani has expressed that he has approved the move.
Three tunnels were destructed by the strike according to the officials of US and Afghanistan. Moreover, the officials said that weapons and ammunition were destroyed. Fortunately, the incident has not left any civilian hurt.