US Drops MOAB Bomb in Afghanistan

a reply to: SaturnFX

Yeah, it's definitely not a resort community anywhere. There are cities and villages, but all are small from what I understand.

Incidentally, ISIS has always been in Afghanistan. These are the same 'freedom fighters' that gave Russia such fits several years back. The name has changed, the target has changed, but the people behind it haven't.

I dont have any alternative solution mind you...just a shame really. I do know you cant bomb a idea...especially if the idea requires you to bomb in order to fluroush

When that idea is integral to killing others, it might be worth a try...

TheRedneck

a reply to: Bedlam

Lol..Mattiss only has different sized hammers in his toolbox so every problem ends up a nail. Just depends how many whacks you wanna use.

a reply to: Bedlam

I suspect this is General Mattis sending the message. My first thoughts on hearing about were "Wow, you went there"

Trump actually said something earlier to the effect of he had pre-authorized everything the military asked for.

I took that to mean Mad Dog is off the leash.

TheRedneck

originally posted by: Silk
And the Russian bomb is also Thermobaric with a two stage detonation apparently although not yet seen in combat.

I think most modern FAEs are two stagers. If you've ever watched the high speed camera shots of the detonation, you see the first charge eject and disperse the fuel, then there's a smaller charge that seeds the cloud with a metal, typically aluminum, although not always, and then a trigger that detonates the cloud.

There are some variations that use nanoparticulate seeding, and a few that disperse the trigger into the cloud instead of it being a single point. Like shooting a time delay sparkler. I've also seen a radio driven detonator that shot something like chaff into the cloud and then caused it to spark by transmitting HPM.

originally posted by: Misterlondon
Do you really need to drop a bomb that has a radius of a mile? You cannot avoid innocents with these type of weapons..

It doesn't... The blast radius is only 150 meters, like an 1/8 of a mile

Working on it

a reply to: Teikiatsu

What do you mean what is wrong with your President? He's just your average ordinary fascist.

What they neglect to tell you is that FDR was more fascist than Hitler was.

The only real difference is FDR didn't have gas chambers.

And for the record ISIS and every other two bit terrorist's are IslamoFASCISTS.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
I saw a MOAB once, touring a facility I was applying to. Not sure how you assess damage after that... size of the crater?

There are no words to adequarely describe the size of these things... a small H-bomb without the fallout.

Fox is reporting this was in retaliation for ISIS killing a Green Beret. I think it's also a final warning to Li'l Kim.

TheRedneck

I'll be curious on how it turns out. Other nations don't seem to be saying anything yet, but when you start dropping bombs with an explosive yield that can be compared to nuclear weapons you're getting real close to war crimes territory.

I'm beginning to think this was a $15 Million dollar stunt for diversion and deflection from his Russia woes, and the unrest among his staff.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Misterlondon

" Because.. you never hear about the innocent men, women and children..... "


Go Tell that to the Family Members of the Americans who Died as a Direct Result of the Domestic Terrorist Attacks by these Animals who have Killed Innocents in the Name of Allah , and who will Not Forgive them when it is their Turn to Leave this Earth for Good .

I lost family members on 9/11.

In retaliation for less than 3000 people we have killed millions, created millions more in refugees, and empowered the same people who attacked us.

The War on Terror is a complete and utter failure.

a reply to: Aazadan

There's not a lot of nations that don't want ISIS to not exist... and the area is otherwise deserted.

If they dropped these puppies on Assad's headquarters, you'd probably be right.

TheRedneck

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: TheRedneck
I saw a MOAB once, touring a facility I was applying to. Not sure how you assess damage after that... size of the crater?

There are no words to adequarely describe the size of these things... a small H-bomb without the fallout.

Fox is reporting this was in retaliation for ISIS killing a Green Beret. I think it's also a final warning to Li'l Kim.

TheRedneck

I'll be curious on how it turns out. Other nations don't seem to be saying anything yet, but when you start dropping bombs with an explosive yield that can be compared to nuclear weapons you're getting real close to war crimes territory.

Not even close to the yield of a nuclear weapon.

MOAB = 11 tons of TNT

Fat Man = 13,000 tons TNT

M76 warhead = 100,000 tons TNT

Tsar Bomba(largest ever) = 50,000,000 tons TNT

a reply to: D8Tee


The problem being if they are too big they stuff up satellites.

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: D8Tee


The problem being if they are too big they stuff up satellites.

huh?

I'm not necessarily against this particular strike ftr, but I am inclined to address these comments regarding last 2 decades of US military involvement.

a reply to: TheRedneck

We just haven't had the guts to get serious.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

We've half-assed this effort for 2 and a half decades... let's see how things play out when we're actually trying to win.

So 190,000 lost lives, 8000 which were our own troops and contractors, 32,000 injured, 2.2 trillion dollars(Trump said 6 trillion) and vets unsure of adequate and timely compensation, and vets/civilians exposed to depleted uranium within the last 25 years is all "half assed" and not enough "guts" or "intent to win" huh? No offense but I think these opinions are inaccurate and highly insulting to military and regular folk…

source1
source2

originally posted by: D8Tee
Not even close to the yield of a nuclear weapon.

MOAB = 11 tons of TNT

Fat Man = 13,000 tons TNT

M76 warhead = 100,000 tons TNT

Tsar Bomba(largest ever) = 50,000,000 tons TNT

11,000 is quite close to 13,000 which is still the largest bomb dropped in war time.

a reply to: Aazadan

It's not 11,000 it's 11. As in 22,000 pounds of TNT. The warhead on a MOAB is 18,700 pounds of H6, which is the equivalent of 22,000 pounds of TNT.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: Aazadan

There's not a lot of nations that don't want ISIS to not exist... and the area is otherwise deserted.

If they dropped these puppies on Assad's headquarters, you'd probably be right.

TheRedneck

As long as it's an isolated area and civilian casualties were low (I can't imagine there would be none with something like this), I don't think anyone will complain. Like you said, no one wants to defend ISIS. If we start using these in more populated areas though? Things will get real bad, real quick.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Aazadan

It's not 11,000 it's 11. As in 22,000 pounds of TNT.

Then I'll retract my statement and feel quite foolish for misreading.

That said, I stand by the point that I'm still concerned about Trumps administration having the common sense to not use these in populated areas.

11 tons is not quite close to 13 THOUSAND tons. Just saying. : )