USA drops "Mother of All Bombs" on Afghanistan
Discussion
BigLion said:
Vipers said:
BigLion said:
It's a shame that this is the way we choose to apply ourselves as a human race
It's a pity these scum exist and have to be eradicated.(recognise that historically the arms race has led to various technological leaps)
Halmyre said:
Comparing that thing to a Grand Slam is like comparing a blunderbuss to a sniper's rifle.
Considering how much went into developing the MOAB I think Barnes Wallace did a fine job given the technology at his disposal.I'm not sure that the MOAB was more effective in this instance. An airburst bomb whilst it would suck the air out of an open tunnel could surely be defeated if someone remembered to close the airtight door. If ISIS are as clever at the tunnel thing as the Viet Kong then I am pretty sure they would have thrown in the odd blast door and not leave the tunnel network completely open.
The Grand Slam though was designed to penetrate deep into the ground, explode, and shake the surrounding structures to bits, with the added benefit of creating a massive void under whatever you wanted to make vanish, Then when the void collapsed everything above fell into the void. For the cost of 1 MOAB I'm pretty sure you could have knocked up a handful of dumb iron Grand Slams, filled them with the latest and greatest high explosives, drop them from the height Barnes wanted (IIRC the Lancaster wasn't able to) and really show ISIS that the ground is not their friend.
If you're considering the cost (in dollars) I'd suspect their development and production expenses have already been accounted for and written off. Haven't these devices just been sitting around for a while waiting for something to do?
At the least the storage warehouse has got a bit more free space inside.
At the least the storage warehouse has got a bit more free space inside.
MKnight702 said:
Halmyre said:
Comparing that thing to a Grand Slam is like comparing a blunderbuss to a sniper's rifle.
Considering how much went into developing the MOAB I think Barnes Wallace did a fine job given the technology at his disposal.I'm not sure that the MOAB was more effective in this instance. An airburst bomb whilst it would suck the air out of an open tunnel could surely be defeated if someone remembered to close the airtight door. If ISIS are as clever at the tunnel thing as the Viet Kong then I am pretty sure they would have thrown in the odd blast door and not leave the tunnel network completely open.
The Grand Slam though was designed to penetrate deep into the ground, explode, and shake the surrounding structures to bits, with the added benefit of creating a massive void under whatever you wanted to make vanish, Then when the void collapsed everything above fell into the void. For the cost of 1 MOAB I'm pretty sure you could have knocked up a handful of dumb iron Grand Slams, filled them with the latest and greatest high explosives, drop them from the height Barnes wanted (IIRC the Lancaster wasn't able to) and really show ISIS that the ground is not their friend.
Mike_Mac said:
Pffft! That was nothing... back in WW2 before the US went Nuclear the RAF was dropping these:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(bomb)
ETA - as Deptford Draylons has already pointed out!!
British understatement exhibit A:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(bomb)
ETA - as Deptford Draylons has already pointed out!!
America, 2003: 21,600lb bomb: The Mother Of All Bombs
Britain, 1943: 22,000lb bomb: Bomb, Medium Capacity
El stovey said:
Jonmx said:
MrBrightSi said:
There was a bit of a (intentional) gaffe on RT last year I think where details of a Russian cobolt bomb/torpedo was caught during filming. They're scary things if produced.
80 ft long, range of 30 miles and a theoretical payload of 100 megatons. The idea being that it's launched from 30 miles out and then detonates somewhere like San Francisco Bay. A really nasty weapon.As someone else said, it would be nice if we could dedicate our resources towards helping one another. Unfortunately, human nature will never allow that to happen.
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2016/12...
Speaking to the BBC, Konstantin Sivkov with the Russian Geopolitical Academy says a 100 megatons warhead could produce a tsunami up to 500 meters high, wiping out all living things 1,500 kilometers deep inside US territory.
Cold said:
Bill said:
Is there any word on what they think they achieved with this?
At least 36 dead with no reports of "innocents" or even allies being caught up in the attack. Sounds like a first. Trump hears about a USA serviceman killed, says let's drop a bomb on them. A huge bomb. What's the biggest bomb we've got? We can build some great bombs. We can make them very inexpensivly, etc.
At least everyone knows the score now. Kill US servicemen and you're getting the MOAB.
BigLion said:
Can you imagine if all the worlds resource / people focus was about eliminating poverty, physical ailments and mental illnesses etc.
(recognise that historically the arms race has led to various technological leaps)
I've often thought about what would happen if the world's various anti-poverty/disease etc. campaigns suddenly became 100% successful. I concluded that the massive population increase would probably end up killing more people. (Given that we are at unsustainable levels with the current population).(recognise that historically the arms race has led to various technological leaps)
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