U.S. Uses Huge Bomb Against Taliban Forces

Associated Press ^ | November 5, 2001 | staff

[Lady In Blue]

Nov 5, 2001

U.S. Uses Huge Bomb Against Taliban Forces

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - With its use of the 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bomb in Afghanistan, the United States has unleashed one of its most powerful weapons - billed as the world's largest conventional bomb.

The BLU-82 combines a watery mixture of ammonium nitrate and aluminum with air, then ignites the mist for a huge explosion that incinerates everything within up to 600 yards. The shock wave can be felt miles away.

The BLU-82 uses about six times the amount of ammonium nitrate explosive that Timothy McVeigh used in the bomb that blew up the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995.

First created during the Vietnam War to quickly clear jungle landing zones, the daisy cutter also was used against Iraqi troops during the Gulf War. Reports from the ground in Afghanistan indicate the huge bombs have been used against front-line Taliban positions.

The bombs cost about $27,000 each. They are dropped from a C-130 cargo plane flying at least 6,000 feet off the ground, to avoid the bomb's massive shock wave. Each is more than 17 feet long and 5 feet in diameter - about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle but far heavier.

AP-ES-11-05-01 2047EST

This story can be found at : http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA6ASS1PTC.html

[Heff]

Thats very kewl...and the price is right. Let's drop about a thousand of them.

[rightwing2]

FAEs are approximately 7 to 10 times more effective than conventional bombs because they utilize the atmospheric air as an oxidant and they have a slower pressure wave. Hence the bomb is about the equivalent of 100,000 pounds explosive power or about 50 tons. That would put it at .5 kilotons. Not too shabby.

Interesting analysis. Where do you get your info that FAEs are 7-10 times more powerful than conventional explosives of the same weight? BTW, 50 tons equals .05KT not .5KT which would be equivalent to 500 tons of TNT. We used to have nuclear artillery shells in the .1KT range as did the Russkies so we are definitely approaching micronuke yield here.

[1 FELLOW FREEPER]

2000 of em......lets make em dance!!

[Fixit]

A C-5 can hold six greyhound buses.

OK, but how long would it take to get the smell out of the C-5?

[vannrox]

This is one impressive bomb...

However, just call me an old timer, but a 30 KTON, while very impressive pales in comparision to our 50,000 Kton Nuclear Warheads. There's something about the complete sterilization of the atmosphere and the polishing of the flattened rock that smells of victory.

---

(Just a lame attempt at humor...)

[yawningotter]

If a C5 can hold 6 Greyhound buses, then how many of these bombs will fit?

[Ditto]

What kind of accuracy can they get from 30,000 feet?

Read the article... they are dropped from about 6000 feet and with a blast that big, you don't need to be accurate.

[Magnum44]

"Question is: Why have they waited,until ,now to use them?"

Simple. 1)They waited until the appropriate phase in the war where the delivery platform (a slow flying C-130) can relatively safely operate without the IAD or AAA threat of being shot down. 2) Until the target list and logistics priorities of all the other things that must take place to make this a successful operation was far enough along that the C-130 assets were available and higher priority targets already removed.

In short, all of this is orchestrated in great detail and it is unfolding according to a timeline. So 'Be Happy'!

[itsinthebag]

"With its use of the 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bomb in Afghanistan, the United States has unleashed one of its most powerful weapons - billed as the world's largest conventional bomb.

The BLU-82 combines a watery mixture of ammonium nitrate and aluminum with air, then ignites the mist for a huge explosion that incinerates everything within up to 600 yards. The shock wave can be felt miles away.

With bombs like these, who needs ground troops?

[pollwatcher]

This isn't good enough. I want it the size of a Lincoln Navigator not a damn little V-dub.

Justice will be only near-served when we start dropping 727 sized bombs on them.

[doug from upland]

Well said. You know what. We could do it. We have all those old 727s dying in the desert. Fill them with the same explosives and drop those suckers on them.

[Gumption]

Loved that article. What's the source?

[ninonitti]

LOL where can I get a copy? It's done by AC130DC130 I presume.

[TKEman]

These are very deadly. Recently I was on vacation in St. Maartens in Caribbean. While in Philipsburg on the Dutch side of the island, I thought about these bombs. One of these could take out that entire city.

[Mr. K]

interesting question! what's your theory behind it?

[TKEman]

Nice to see you again! I myself have been on vacation in the Caribbean, specifically St. Maartens.

I've done some reading in years past on these "Daisy Cutter" bombs, and all I can say is, "oh, the humanity of it all!"

If they keep these types of bombings up, particularly in the middle of the night, with "normal" bombings taking place during the day, we will quickly come to a resolution of all this.

[ThomasMore]

ammonium nitrate and aluminum

This is similar to the mix in "flash poweder" that photograhers used. As a kid, I made some great fireworks with this stuff. Very powerful under compression.

[Poohbah]

I am surprised the article could make such a comlete mistake by stating this fuel-air explosive was first used in Vietnam. As I recall, wasn't it the Russians who pioneered the fuel-air explosive in the 70's, a technology of very limited utility durign Vietnam?

First off, FAE weapons predate Vietnam. First operational employment was in Vietnam. Your remark that it was of "limited utility" during Vietnam undercuts your claim that the USSR pioneered these weapons later on.

Second, this isn't a FAE weapon--it's 15,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate.

[CWOJackson]

Nice thing about them, cheap and EFFECTIVE.