The United States has just dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb on an ISIS cave system in the Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.
Containing 11 tons of explosives, the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) was developed during the Iraq war and designed for use on subterranean structures. It was first tested in Florida shortly before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. According to CBS News, the resulting cloud of debris could be seen over 20 miles away.
Nicknamed the “mother of all bombs,” the MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat.
U.S. command in Afghanistan issued the following statement to the press, “The strike was designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities.” ISIS-K refers to the Afghan contingent of the ISIS terror group.
Weighing 22,600 lbs, the MOAB is 5 tons heavier than any other weapon in the US arsenal. Using a GPS-guided system, the weapon detonates above the ground creating a massive air burst that causes even more damage than a similar explosion detonated at ground level.
The explosion has a blast radius of nearly one mile and creates a miniature earthquake capable of collapsing tunnels. ISIS fighters have successfully used a series of tunnel networks to evade traditional aerial bomb attacks.