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Test of Massive Air Force Bomb Set for Tuesday at Eglin AFB (Florida)
AP ^

Posted on 03/10/2003 7:08:26 PM PST by Semper911

Mar 10, 2003

Test of 'massive' Air Force Bomb Set for Tuesday at Eglin

The Associated Press

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) - A conventional bomb so big that it's first name is "massive" is set to be tested for the first time at this Florida Panhandle base Tuesday.

Air Force officials Monday warned residents of communities surrounding the western half Eglin's 724-square-mile military reservation to be prepared to hear an explosion that sounds like thunder or a slamming door between noon and 5 p.m. CST although the blast will be miles away.

The loudness of the 21,000-pound "massive ordnance air burst," or MOAB, will vary depending on wind currents and some people may not hear it at all, Eglin officials said in a brief news release.

They added that the test will be conducted only under weather conditions best for minimizing the sound and inside a buffer zone to keep a shock wave and debris from the explosion inside Eglin's boundaries. The backup date for the test is Thursday during the same time frame.

MOAB is similar to but 40 percent heavier than the 15,000-pound BLU-82, billed as the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb and known to send up a mushroom cloud similar to a nuclear weapon.

The BLU-82, nicknamed "daisy cutter," was developed during the Vietnam War to create jungle clearings for use as helicopter landing areas. It was most recently dropped in Afghanistan on caves where al-Qaida leaders were suspected of hiding.

In the Persian Gulf War, it was used to clear minefields. MOAB is expected to be ready for use this year if the test is successful.

Areas where civilians may be able to hear the blast are Mary Esther, Navarre, Holly, Holt and western Crestview.


TOPICS: Breaking News; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: florida; moabbomb; newsscoop; scoop
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To: RecentConvert
I think Toyota makes em'.
101 posted on 03/10/2003 9:46:54 PM PST by Red Dog #1
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To: RS
"...and you figured this out how? ..."

RS..please my friend, you've been around FR for several years. You should know better.

Me thinks my profile has a bunch more credence than your empty one. btw..when one is right, "figg'ing it out", doesn't cut it. Knowledge is Power!

Learn more..Emote less.

Get'a grip...Mustang sends.
102 posted on 03/10/2003 10:20:12 PM PST by Mustang (Evil Thrives When Good People Do Nothing!)
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To: Semper911
The Brits had a 22,000 pounder code named "Tall Boy" in WWII. It was very streamlined and heavily aromoured. Specially modified Lancaster Bombers dropped them from 30,000 feet on submarine pens, tunnels and dams. They could penetrate 250 feet of granite and clusters of them could be set to trip on the shock wave of the first to explode, so that the effect was multiplied.
Yes, I know that was also the American code name for the Atomic Bomb.

We could have used them at Tora Bora.

The Moab is an air burst concussion bomb for vaporizing surface targets.

103 posted on 03/10/2003 10:25:12 PM PST by Servant of the Nine (Real Texicans; we're grizzled, we're grumpy and we're armed)
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To: New Horizon
To SayDamn with love.
104 posted on 03/10/2003 10:31:01 PM PST by gulfcoast6 (Not another loan to DITECH......Mom!)
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To: Semper911
I'm going down that way next week. Darn.
105 posted on 03/10/2003 10:34:46 PM PST by fso301
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To: Semper911
Can we fit one of those with a really big JDAM unit and drop it onto Saddam's underground lair?

I understand it is seperated fro the Euphrates by a large steel door.
The MOAB would be one hell of a can opener.
106 posted on 03/10/2003 11:35:58 PM PST by rmlew ("Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.")
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To: RecentConvert
The prefix suggests it's something to do with camels.

I think it denotes and exceptionally stupid camel.

107 posted on 03/11/2003 12:01:02 AM PST by Erasmus
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To: Walkingfeather
You know they could probably pay for some of these bombs if they did a pay per view...

You know, that sounds a bit odd, but you are right. I would be far more likely to pay to view something like this than almost anything else.

108 posted on 03/11/2003 12:32:35 AM PST by AFPhys
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To: Squantos
Crazy Harry the mad bomber would be proud.


109 posted on 03/11/2003 2:10:40 AM PST by spectr17
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Local resident Cletus R. Wallis after illegally sneeking into Eglin AFB to witness the 1st detonation of the new MOAB bomb to be used in Iraq.

"Holy mackerel" and "Lord have mercy" were his only comments afterword as he picked embedded bugs out of his teeth .


110 posted on 03/11/2003 2:26:30 AM PST by spectr17
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To: Semper911
WOW!!!

I'll let ya'll Know if I hear it in JAX.

111 posted on 03/11/2003 2:27:01 AM PST by OXENinFLA
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To: Semper911
>>Or maybe to piss off the chicks in pink?

I saw one of those idiots on the news last night. Typical handwringing idiot liberal. Nearly made me barf.

"STFU honey, and let the rational folk deal with this."
112 posted on 03/11/2003 2:33:22 AM PST by FreedomPoster (This Space Intentionally Blank)
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To: Beck_isright
Well, if they take out the area my unit used to do 4-day exercises in, many of us would not mind at all.
113 posted on 03/11/2003 2:35:17 AM PST by Bernard
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To: Squantos; Travis McGee; Jeff Head; harpseal
This caught my attention as I was lurking around FR this morning. Not certain why the Air Force would not go to Nevada to test this. Seems they are taking a chance on law suits from damage. Everyone in the area with a cracked ceiling or wall will now want Uncle Sugar to fix it or maybe just settle out of court for a tidy sum.
114 posted on 03/11/2003 2:42:10 AM PST by SLB
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115 posted on 03/11/2003 2:53:15 AM PST by KneelBeforeZod (Deus Lo Volt!)
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To: SLB
Given the vegetation at Eglin I think they want to see what the effect on the that would actually be. This is just a guess on my part. To test straight functionality they could do it over the ocean or Nevada but Nevada and the ocean do not have a whole lot of trees sticing up to see what the damage to them will be.
116 posted on 03/11/2003 4:18:49 AM PST by harpseal (Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown)
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To: Mustang
All due respect....but this "AP report" is: BULL SH#T!!!

What are you talking about?

http://pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/031103/Local/ST003.shtml

117 posted on 03/11/2003 6:02:19 AM PST by FLdeputy
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To: per loin
ROFLMAO
118 posted on 03/11/2003 6:07:56 AM PST by twntaipan (Defend American Liberty: Defeat a demoncRAT!)
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To: harpseal
This morning, a local radio show (Rick & Bubba) received calls from listeners around Eglin. Several commented that bombs are tested just about daily and pictures and windows rattle on a regular basis. One fellow who hunts deer very near to Eglin stated the deer have become quite acclimated to the noise. They don't even flinch when a near miss from a 300 ultra mag zips by them.
119 posted on 03/11/2003 6:12:39 AM PST by Quilla
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To: RecentConvert
May 10-11, 2003, Topeka ,Kansas, Forbes Field: The United States Navy Blue Angels, B-2 flyby and Much more.
120 posted on 03/11/2003 6:20:59 AM PST by AdA$tra (All we are saying ....is give war a chance)
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