Thermobaric · Russia · 2007
FOAB
ATBIP « Father of All Bombs »
Presented by Russia as four times more powerful than the MOAB. The published characteristics have never been verified.
See FOAB in the 3D simulator- TNT equivalent
- 44 tUncertain
- Energy
- 184 GJ
- Explosive charge
- 7.1 tUncertain
- Type
- Thermobaric bomb (claimed)
- Period
- Present day
- Status
- Prototype
FOAB releases about 340 times less energy than Little Boy (Hiroshima, 1945).
Key points
- A typical example of a “claimed” value: to be interpreted with caution.
History
The announcement, broadcast on Russian television, came amid shows of force toward the United States.
- 11 September 2007 Russia announces and broadcasts a test.
How does it work?
A conventional bomb releases chemical energy: the explosive decomposes into very hot gases in a few microseconds (detonation).
Order of magnitude: a few megajoules per kilogram of explosive (1 kg of TNT ≈ 4.2 MJ), millions of times less than nuclear reactions for the same mass.
The expanding gases violently compress the air: the shock wave weakens very quickly with distance.
A thermobaric weapon first disperses a cloud of fuel, then ignites it using the oxygen in the surrounding air.
The overpressure wave is less intense but longer than with a conventional explosive of the same energy.
Deliberately general explanations: the application provides no design or manufacturing information.
Frequently asked questions
How powerful is FOAB?
FOAB has an estimated yield of 44 t of TNT equivalent, about 184 GJ of energy.
What is the history of FOAB?
One test announced and filmed in September 2007. No known use. The announcement, broadcast on Russian television, came amid shows of force toward the United States.
What does the FOAB explosion look like?
The Bomb Simulator shows the fireball, shock wave and cloud of FOAB at real scale, over Paris, London or New York, with the sources and reliability of each value.
Sources
- Father of All Bombs — Wikipedia (overview, to be cross-checked)
Other weapons
- Tallboy — 3.1 t
- Grand Slam — 5.5 t
- FAB-5000NG — 4 t
- FAB-9000 — 4.3 t
- BLU-82 — 5.7 t
- GBU-28 — 0.3 t
- Mk 84 — 0.5 t
- GBU-43/B MOAB — 11 t
- FAB-3000 — 1.4 t
- GBU-57 MOP — 3 t
This application is an educational tool. The animations and effect zones are simplified representations meant to illustrate orders of magnitude. They are neither a prediction of the effects of a real weapon nor a military planning tool.