MOAB

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"They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far. I present to you the newest in ISIS removal line. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee, the bad guys won't even be able to come out of their caves. Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration... the MOAB."

Tony Stark for the win.
 
Although very expensive, looked like a good target to use one up. It should have screwed up the tunnel system pretty good so it should have a bit more value to it rather than just counting the "kills." Better to use one here and there I guess, rather than having them sitting around for the next 25- 50 years.
I just read that the first delegation from the new administration is to arrive in Afghanistan soon, so this was a threefer message to Afghanistan, Syria, and NK.
 
I just read that the first delegation from the new administration is to arrive in Afghanistan soon, so this was a threefer message to Afghanistan, Syria, and NK.



Oh Yea, was thinking that too, forgot to add it to the value in my post.
 
Since MOAB is said to essentially "vaporize" everything in a significant radius (five blocks?) above ground, and collapse tunnels underground, there probably isn't much left to count so any announced "body count" from either side has to be taken with a significant grain of salt.
 
"They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far. I present to you the newest in ISIS removal line. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee, the bad guys won't even be able to come out of their caves. Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration... the MOAB."


Thanks Tony!
 
MOAB cost per unit based upon program costs the media quoted were wrong. Actual cost claimed by the USAF is $170,000 each:

https://www.businessinsider.com/real-cost-of-moab-mother-of-all-bombs-170-000-2017-4

The $314 million development cost claim by the media was not for the MOAB, its was for the Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) from a 2011 LA Times article and even that may be way too high even for the MOP based upon the figures found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_Ordnance_Penetrator
 
It looked really impressive in person before the drop. You end up just looking at it in awe, a little dumbstruck at it's massiveness. As it turns out, no matter how dramatic its use, it was the right weapon for the job.
 
The MOAB is carried by the B2 which in an all out conflict with Korea would be one of the bombers used.

Actually the MOAB is deployed by the MC130 Combat Talon. I don't think it would fit in the bomb bay of a B2. They don't really drop it out of a bomb bay. they roll it out the rear door.
 
Actually the MOAB is deployed by the MC130 Combat Talon. I don't it would fit in the bomb bay of a B2. They don't really drop it out of a bomb bay. they roll it out the rear door.

MOAB delivery is similar to an air drop mission, like any C-130 or C-17 would do (and still does in the AOR); it does not 'roll out' via gravity. Once the initial chute goes out and inflates, the massive bomb is yanked out of the cargo bay with surprising speed. The rollers on the cargo bay floor actually get hot from the brief burst of speed & weight.
 
I wonder how much the C-130 'jumps up' (altitude gain) once the ordinance leaves the hold.. I guess it's kinda cancelled out by the sudden rearward jerk of the deployment chute opening..
 
Actually the MOAB is deployed by the MC130 Combat Talon. I don't it would fit in the bomb bay of a B2. They don't really drop it out of a bomb bay. they roll it out the rear door.
You're right. I was was confusing it with the MOP intended for deep underground bunkers.

B-2-MOP.jpg
 
MOAB delivery is similar to an air drop mission, like any C-130 or C-17 would do (and still does in the AOR); it does not 'roll out' via gravity. Once the initial chute goes out and inflates, the massive bomb is yanked out of the cargo bay with surprising speed. The rollers on the cargo bay floor actually get hot from the brief burst of speed & weight.

And we have the word from a real SME.
 
Before/after:

C93Wy5lXUAUnY9k.jpg


Watch a B-52 Obliterate This Massive ISIS Held Hotel In Mosul
It was one of Mosul's nicest and largest hotels before becoming an ISIS stronghold
March 20, 2017

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...iterate-this-massive-isis-held-hotel-in-mosul

Now under renovation. Hope they had ISIS' credit card on file to charge it for damages.

[video=youtube;nJglZ34CcBw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJglZ34CcBw[/video]
 
On-the-ground video of target post strike:

[video=youtube;LqfosAxT4CI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqfosAxT4CI[/video]
 
Before/after:

C93Wy5lXUAUnY9k.jpg


Watch a B-52 Obliterate This Massive ISIS Held Hotel In Mosul
It was one of Mosul's nicest and largest hotels before becoming an ISIS stronghold
March 20, 2017

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...iterate-this-massive-isis-held-hotel-in-mosul

Now under renovation. Hope they had ISIS' credit card on file to charge it for damages.

[video=youtube;nJglZ34CcBw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJglZ34CcBw[/video]

It's more satisfying to watch these in real time...:wink:
 
e-Rockets has one, I waited to place my order and now they are out of stock !

the last thing I need is another kit in the build pile, but I had to have this (and the lil' Augie). So, I placed my order and now they're sitting on top of that pile just urging me to open them...
 
My question exactly. What's with those weirdo perpendicular fins at the back? Only way this is stable is if the warhead in the NC weighs a ton.

I think Mike Crupe should jump on this. :wink:

Try a ton +/- 7 (You pick the sign). Those drag flap/grid fins have a decent amount of stiff surface area to them.
I'm going to surmise that a fair bit of the whole thing is Warhead lol. With no rear motor, control electronics in the back, and a ginormous thermobaric explosive device in the front that's probably denser than the control/comm circuits, it's just stable enough to do its job: Falling! wiith Style! (and a flourish at the end)

They look like grid fins, same as what SpaceX uses on their booster during landings.

That they are. Similar to the Penetrator. Slight angling of the drag flaps provide a little bit of steering. That and I'd wager that a majority of that 21 klbs is towards the front.

No idea what accuracy it's requirement documentation specifies it to be capable of, but honestly.........What's a few meters to that thing?

What'd'ya say Neil? next build? The back end is tricky, and the front is already designed for you!
 
What'd'ya say Neil? next build? The back end is tricky, and the front is already designed for you!

Ha ha, touché. :) Can we get a ring on there somehow?

Actually, these days I find myself having close to zero interest in building most scale models, for reasons I haven't quite put my finger on. This one is no different, although I give Randy (?) a lot of credit for that developing that kit; the grid fins are a very nice piece of work, although not nearly to scale.
 
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