Who needs nuclear weapons when you can have a vacuum bomb

[Wise Young]

Russia announced that they have tested a "vacuum bomb". This is a two stage bomb. The first explosion spreads some kind of fuel that spreads out over 2-3 milie radius and a second explosion ignites this fuel, causing everything within a 3-mile radius to die. Everything within 4 miles will get their eardrums popped.

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/...as_father.html

Plus: No nuclear fallout. No political fallout. Good kill radius.
Minus: big. heavy: 7 tons. Probably quite cheap.

In case you are skeptical, here are some other news articles:
http://www.reuters.com/article/world...rpc=22&sp=true

According to this article:

U.S. forces have used a "thermobaric" bomb, which works on similar principles, in their campaign against al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

Wise.

[Lazlo]

Thermobaric weapons, which use atmospheric oxygen together with carefully dispersed explosive material (a powder or fluid), are interesting in that they generate shock waves comparable to very small nuclear weapons, using only conventional materials.

What is more interesting, though, is that the Russians named this device the "Father of All Bombs", a clear reference to the MOAB (nicknamed "Mother of All Bombs") the US developed for use in the war in Iraq. A conventional weapons arms race? Silly and scary at the same time.

[Foolish Old]

The inventor must be so proud! Good to see that military scientists are not resting on their laurels.

[Patonb]

The inventor must be so proud! Good to see that military scientists are not resting on their laurels.

Saddly nearly EVERY invention/advancement we have today is a Spinoff from military devices.

[kenf]

gas kinda does the same thing. if you pour bunch of gas on the ground , let it set awhile , then light it. it will make a huge circle of big fire. guess they have something on a larger scale.

[Dave_69]

I doubt that it is truly fuel/air or thermobaric. The larger a thermobaric device becomes the more difficult it is to maintain the proper fuel/air mixture in the dispersal pattern over such a large area. It is even more difficult if there is any wind or significant temperature differences over the target area. Therefore, there is a practical yield limit to a thermobaric or fuel/air explosive device. Most likely, it uses a conventional explosive of an agent and an oxidizer that is more advanced with a higher explosive yield per Kg than what they have used previously.

[Juke_spin]

Saddly nearly EVERY invention/advancement we have today is a Spinoff from military devices.

Don't knock the silver lining; it's all the good we get outa that crap.

Velcro, permenent-pressed are spinoffs of military inventions?

[Wise Young]

I doubt that it is truly fuel/air or thermobaric. The larger a thermobaric device becomes the more difficult it is to maintain the proper fuel/air mixture in the dispersal pattern over such a large area. It is even more difficult if there is any wind or significant temperature differences over the target area. Therefore, there is a practical yield limit to a thermobaric or fuel/air explosive device. Most likely, it uses a conventional explosive of an agent and an oxidizer that is more advanced with a higher explosive yield per Kg than what they have used previously.

Dave, I was thinking the same thing. Fuel/air mixtures require optimal dispersal and concentration. Such a bomb would be very sensitive to wind, temperature, and other factors. It is difficult to get a reliable air/fuel ratio over such a large volume and under all conditions. Therefore, the bomb must involve a new technology that essentially extends the ignitable air/fuel ratio range so that the material ignites a very high or low ratios. Some kind of explosive oxidizer is likely to be the answer. I imagine that one can also produce a counter defensive cloud that neutralizes the oxidizer and the FOAB.

Zero, good observation. The Russians undoubtedly named it FOAB because of MOAB. This has led to all sorts of quips about the other names of bombs, such as "... greasy willy uncle of all bombs", presumably GWUOAB. There are some who think that an underwater bomb initiated the Tsunami of 2005 and nobody is willing to admit it. If so, that bomb deserves the monicker, Grandpappy of All Bombs (GOAB).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...tions/moab.htm

GBU-43/B "Mother Of All Bombs"
MOAB - Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb

The GBU-43/B is large, powerful and accurately delivered. high explosive. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb [MOAB] weapon is a 21,000 lbs total weight GPS-guided munition with fins and inertial gyro for pitch and roll control. It is probable that this munition was initially nick-named the "Mother Of All Bombs" with the retronymic expansion of MOAB following later.

On 11 September 2007 the Russian military announced that it had tested what it called the "Father of All Bombs". Described as the world's most powerful non-nuclear air-delivered munition, the Russian military claimed it was four times more powerful than the American "Mother Of All Bombs." While the Russian bomb was reported to contain 7.8 tons of "thermobaric" explosive, compared to the more than 8 tons of explosives in the American bomb, the Russian bomb was said to use more highly efficient explosive, with a yield equivalent to 44 tons of TNT. The bomb was reported to have a blast radius of 300 meters, double that of the American bomb, while the temperature at the epicenter was also reported to be twice as high.

[doingtimeonmyass]

Don't knock the silver lining; it's all the good we get outa that crap.

Velcro, permenent-pressed are spinoffs of military inventions?

Not sure about permanent press, but Velcro by a Swiss man.

The hook-loop fastener was invented in 1941 by George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer. The idea came to him after he took a close look at the Burdock seeds which kept sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur on their daily walk in the Alps, during the summer. He examined their condition and saw the possibility of binding two materials reversibly in a simple fashion. He developed the hook and loop fastener and submitted his idea for patent in 1951. De Mestral named his invention "VELCRO" after the French words velours, meaning 'velvet', and crochet, or 'hook'. The uses and applications of the product are numerous. Today, the VELCRO mark is the subject of more than 300 trademark registrations in over 160 countries. source

These bombs must have a huge psychological impact on the enemy. I'd like to see DOD test footage of these things.

[Foolish Old]

Saddly nearly EVERY invention/advancement we have today is a Spinoff from military devices.

Yes, and this one has so many possibilities for private sector use that will benefit the public.

[doingtimeonmyass]

Yes, and this one has so many possibilities for private sector use that will benefit the public.

That's quick ground clearance for construction projects.
Interesting how we value life, depending on whose it is.

[Foolish Old]

That's quick ground clearance for construction projects.
Interesting how we value life, depending on whose it is.

Urban Renewal of blighted neighborhoods? Solves the relocation problem.

[DA]

yawn...usa already using this type bomb. slightly smaller version.

[doingtimeonmyass]

yawn...usa already using this type bomb. slightly smaller version.

yawn... Didn't Wise already say that in 1st post?

[DA]

yawn... Didn't Wise already say that in 1st post?

well i said it again...