7 Things You Must Know About The “Mother of All Bombs”

The MOAB, used to target ISIS militants, is the largest non-nuclear bomb the US has ever used in combat.

This photo provided by Eglin Air Force Base shows the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb. (File Photo: AP)

The United States dropped a massive GBU-43 bomb in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday against a series of caves used by Islamic State militants, the military said.

It was dropped from a MC-130 aircraft in the Achin district of Nangarhar province, close to the border with Pakistan, Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said.

GBU-43 was dropped from a MC-130 aircraft in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. (File Photo: AP)

Here are seven things to know about the bomb:

1. Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb

The GBU-43 is massive in size. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@EricBuechelNet)

It is the largest non-nuclear bomb the US has ever used in combat. The US Air Force calls it the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (MOAB).

2. Mother of All Bombs

Also known as the "mother of all bombs," the GBU-43 is a 21,600 pound (9,797 kg) GPS-guided munition and 11 tons of explosives.

3. Pilot Test in 2003

The bomb was developed by Albert Weimorts of the United States military and was first tested in March 2003, just days before the start of the Iraq war.

4. The Mushroom Cloud Effect

Representative image of mushroom cloud. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@TheGreatFeather)

A prototype of the bomb tested in Florida in March 2003 created a mushroom cloud that could be seen 20 miles away, according to the Air Force.

5. Massive Penetrative Power

MOAB has the penetrative power of about 60 meters (200 feet) of enforced concrete and is therefore, capable of clearing trees in a diameter of 152-meter.

6. Used Against ISIS-K

The bomb, on Thursday, was used against caves and bunkers housing fighters of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, also known as ISIS-K.

7. Russian Counterpart of MOAB

The Russian version of MOAB is called FOAB (Father of All Bombs) and is claimed to be four times more powerful than its American counterpart.

(With inputs from Reuters, AP, Times Now, Haaretz.)

Also Read: US Drops Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb in Nangarhar, Afghanistan

Join The Quint on WhatsApp. Type “JOIN” and send to 9910181818.