U.S. mulls “mother of all bombs” for Iran

The U.S. military has developed strike plans to use the GBU-43/B, America’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb, known as the “mother of all bombs”, against Iran if Trump orders renewed combat

Delivery pallet

Payload: 8,480kg of explosive Composition H-6 – roughly RDX (44%), TNT (29.5%) and aluminium powder (21%)

KMU-593/B guidance system

Weight:
Length:
9,800kg
9.1m

GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB)

Stabilisers

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Delivery: Pallet deployed from rear cargo door of MC-130J aircraft at high altitude

Bomb separates: Pallet tugged aside by parachute allowing weapon to glide down. Stabilisers deployed to direct bomb. Satellite guidance ensures accuracy

Detonation: MOAB explodes just above ground. Its thin aluminium casing maximises blast radius. With explosive yield equivalent to 11 tonnes of TNT, blast wave stretches for 1.6km in every direction

Sources: CNN, GlobalSecurity, Air Force Armament Museum
Picture: Getty Images
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