GBU-43/B MOAB
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB /ˈmoʊæb/, colloquially explained as "mother of all bombs") is a large-yield bomb, developed for the United States military by Albert L. Weimorts, Jr. of the Air Force Research Laboratory. It was first tested in 2003. At the time of development, it was said to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the American arsenal. The bomb is designed to be delivered by a C-130 Hercules, primarily the MC-130E Combat Talon I or MC-130H Combat Talon II variants. The bomb's name and nickname were inspired by Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's invocation of the "mother of all battles" (Umm al-Ma'arik) during the 1991 Gulf War.
| GBU-43/B Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB) | |
|---|---|
GBU-43/B on display at the Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Note the grid fins. | |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2003–present |
| Used by | United States Air Force |
| Wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Designed | 2002 |
| Manufacturer | McAlester Army Ammunition Plant |
| Produced | 2003 |
| No. built | 15 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 21,715 lb (9,850 kg) |
| Length | 30 ft 1.75 in (9.1885 m) |
| Diameter | 40.5 in (103 cm) |
| Filling | H-6 |
| Filling weight | 18,739 lb (8,500 kg) |
| Blast yield | 11 tons TNT (46 GJ) |
The MOAB was first deployed in combat in the 13 April 2017 airstrike against an Islamic State – Khorasan Province tunnel complex in Achin District, Afghanistan.