What is the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ US could use in Iran?
Summary
The United States has plans to use its largest non-nuclear bomb, called the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), against Iran’s nuclear and energy sites if President Donald Trump orders military action. Experts say the bomb would cause significant damage above ground but might not destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities or fully achieve US goals.Key Facts
- The MOAB is the biggest non-nuclear bomb in the US military, weighing nearly 10 tonnes.
- It contains about 8.5 tonnes of high explosives and is about 9 meters (30 feet) long.
- The bomb is dropped from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, as it cannot fit in stealth bombers.
- The MOAB has only been used once in combat, in 2017, against Islamic State tunnels in Afghanistan.
- The bomb explodes above ground to create a powerful blast radius of about 1 km (0.6 miles).
- Military experts say it can destroy buildings and forces above ground but may not reach deeply buried underground targets.
- Some US officials question how effective using the MOAB would be against Iran’s nuclear sites.
- The bomb’s name comes from a phrase used by Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War.
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