Mother Of All Bombs Strike! 3 Need to Know Facts!
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In April 2017, the United States Military used their most powerful non-nuclear bomb against the Islamic State. Welcome to WatchMojo News, the series from WatchMojo where we look at news stories that should be on your radar.
In this instalment, we’re looking at three things you need to know about the April 13th, 2017 MOAB strike in Afghanistan.
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordinance Air Blast bomb, whose acronym MOAB means it’s commonly referred to as “Mother Of All Bombs”, is the most powerful-non nuclear bomb in the United States arsenal. It is capable of delivering an explosive force equivalent to 11 tons of TNT. The weapon is dropped by a combat-variant of the C-130 Hercules aircraft, before being GPS guided to its target. As the name implies, the weapon is designed to detonate its ordnance in the air above its targets, creating a massive blast radius that covers a wide area. Its design was based on a weapon used in Vietnam, the Daisy Cutter that was renowned for its psychological impact on the enemy. Reportedly killing 36 militants, the April 13th, 2017 Nangarhar airstrike was the first time the MOAB was ever used in combat.
The target struck by the weapon was a network of caves and tunnels in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan stated that “This was the right weapon against the right target.” Many see this as an effort from the United States to send a strong message both to ISIS and the world, as well as an effort from Trump to live up to campaign promises to defeat ISIS. When asked about the airstrike, Trump stated: “We’re very very proud of our military” and referred to it as “another successful event.” While many within and outside the US government supported the weapon strike, some, such as Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai, condemned the use of the weapon.
It’s become clear through the actions of the US Military that their resolve to destroy ISIS is steadfast and unwavering. Although a powerful message, the strike was in no way decisive, as ISIS is still a powerful force present in the Middle East, and war continues in Afghanistan. However, the proverbial seal has been broken on the use of the MOAB, meaning that in the future, the US military could be quicker to come to the decision to use such a powerful weapon. While debate on the weapon’s use rages on, the United States will definitely continue to be a strong military force in the area.
In this instalment, we’re looking at three things you need to know about the April 13th, 2017 MOAB strike in Afghanistan.
#3: What Is a MOAB?
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordinance Air Blast bomb, whose acronym MOAB means it’s commonly referred to as “Mother Of All Bombs”, is the most powerful-non nuclear bomb in the United States arsenal. It is capable of delivering an explosive force equivalent to 11 tons of TNT. The weapon is dropped by a combat-variant of the C-130 Hercules aircraft, before being GPS guided to its target. As the name implies, the weapon is designed to detonate its ordnance in the air above its targets, creating a massive blast radius that covers a wide area. Its design was based on a weapon used in Vietnam, the Daisy Cutter that was renowned for its psychological impact on the enemy. Reportedly killing 36 militants, the April 13th, 2017 Nangarhar airstrike was the first time the MOAB was ever used in combat.
#2: Why Was the Weapon Used?
The target struck by the weapon was a network of caves and tunnels in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan stated that “This was the right weapon against the right target.” Many see this as an effort from the United States to send a strong message both to ISIS and the world, as well as an effort from Trump to live up to campaign promises to defeat ISIS. When asked about the airstrike, Trump stated: “We’re very very proud of our military” and referred to it as “another successful event.” While many within and outside the US government supported the weapon strike, some, such as Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai, condemned the use of the weapon.
#1: What Does This Mean for the Future?
It’s become clear through the actions of the US Military that their resolve to destroy ISIS is steadfast and unwavering. Although a powerful message, the strike was in no way decisive, as ISIS is still a powerful force present in the Middle East, and war continues in Afghanistan. However, the proverbial seal has been broken on the use of the MOAB, meaning that in the future, the US military could be quicker to come to the decision to use such a powerful weapon. While debate on the weapon’s use rages on, the United States will definitely continue to be a strong military force in the area.
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