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

AP ^

[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.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yeah I did. Am I suppose to be impressed?

I'm always weary of people that that wear their backgrounds on their sleeves and then tell people that their profile is more credible than others.....

Hehehe.....

[Squantos]

Ohhhhh the banished muppet formally known as Crazy "Donald" !!!! LOL ...One of my troops had him sitting up on our bar with a masterblaster crab pinned on his chest.

LMAO....Stay Safe and duck this afternoon.....fire in the hole x 3 !

[SW6906]

Don't get me wrong, I don't at all agree with Mustang that this is BS - in fact I wish he'd come back and explain to us exactly what he's thinking because I'm confused by his stance.

I just have a lot of respect for veterans and I don't fault Mustang for filling out his profile with that info. Heck, that's what the profile is for! As for credibility, knowing he is a veteran (at least he says he is on his profile), gives him a LOT more credibility in matters military than say, a 23 year old UPS truck driver.

[Squantos]

As long as they respect the temperature inversion it'll go bang with no area damage. Eglin's range limit is massive, not as big as NTS in Nevada or White Sands NM but will handle this just fine IMO. The main demo range is 20 miles from such civy concerns.

Stay Safe !

[TruthNtegrity]

Back to the subject.

Two weeks ago, I read a report about a bomb being tested at Hurlburt that, if there was something on the 11th story of a 22-story building, this bomb could count floors as it went down, and blow up ON the 11th story. I imagine that for caves, this means it is counting depth of ground as it is going down, to explode at the correct depth. Or something like that.

Hurlburt has something like 5 fields on it. Eglin is pretty populated and I suspect that where this bomb is going to be exploded is West of Eglin. That's why they say "West Crestview" - a town about 12 miles North, up I85, would hear the concussion.

For those doubters of this AP report, Fox News announced the bomb explosion about 20 minutes ago, and 5 minutes ago had a public relations person from Eglin on the air. This person said that the time for exploding it is somewhere between Noon and 5 PM CST, and Gretchen couldn't pin the guy down to something narrower than that. It seemed to be due to having perfect conditions for detonation.

BTW, he also said that the explosion would have a mushroom but reinforced that it has nothing nuclear on it.

Just thought you'd like to know.

[finnman69]

WABC radio just announced that this test WILL BE FILMED AND BROADCAST OVER IRAQ!

Sounds like what we were considering in 1945. We considered showing the Japanese Ambassador a live A-bomb test and telling him, we have a dozen more bombs for your cities like this.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I just have a lot of respect for veterans and I don't fault Mustang for filling out his profile with that info. Heck, that's what the profile is for!

Actually, it's my opinion that profiles are for dummys. Only a fool would post personal information about themselves on a public forum. This is just my opinion.

As for credibility, knowing he is a veteran (at least he says he is on his profile), gives him a LOT more credibility in matters military than say, a 23 year old UPS truck driver.

There are millions of veterans out there. Most choose to keep their mouth shut about their backgrounds and experience, and don't encourage people to read their backgrounds on public forums..

[Joe Hadenuf]

Anyway, enough of this BS.....

[ladtx]

Just heard CBS radio news refer to the MOAB. The newsreader said the acronym stood for "Mother Of All Bombs". Sounds like a newsroom typist was having some fun at his expense. LOL!! Anyone else hear it? Almost had coffee all over my keyboard.

[AF_Blue]

I'm at Duke Field. I'll let y'all know if (when) I hear (feel) it.

[Redcloak]

MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS

BWAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAA!!!

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what "MOAB" really stands for!

[Joe Hadenuf]

For those doubters of this AP report, Fox News announced the bomb explosion about 20 minutes ago, and 5 minutes ago had a public relations person from Eglin on the air. This person said that the time for exploding it is somewhere between Noon and 5 PM CST, and Gretchen couldn't pin the guy down to something narrower than that. It seemed to be due to having perfect conditions for detonation.

Wish I could see it, from a close, but safe distance.

I remember once in San Diego about 20 years ago we were sitting in a house, about 2 miles north of downtown, and an explosion went off, rocked the entire house, I mean it was deafening, many times louder than a sonic boom. We all went running outside and there was nothing but other people standing around looking up.....We never found out what it was. Nothing on the news etc. Totally bizarre event....

[bluewater bird]

I'm in Destin and they say we won't be affected - blast will be north and west of us sometime between noon and 5:00 p.m. CST. Will check back in if I hear anything.

[Semper911]

All due respect....but this "AP report" is:
BULL SH#T!!!
It just amazes me how many silly people believe so many stupid things!....And still post'em!
Mustang sends.

I merely posted an article. Its reliability will soon be known.

And so will yours.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Rush is now talking about this......LOL......

[Semper911]

Of course, he read this thread!

[Joe Hadenuf]

Lol.....My thoughts too. I am surprised he didn't use the "mother of all bombs phrase", MOAB, as one Freeper posted.

[sheikdetailfeather]

How about.."Muddah! Oh Allah! Boom!"

[Joe Hadenuf]

That'll work too.

I wonder if they are going to show us video of this thing...I hope so.....

[marktuoni]

Radar imagery Here