Regan Brown
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs) are a type of thermobaric weapon that works by dispersing a cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. The absence of an oxidiser means that a greater proportion of the payload can be devoted to fuel, theoretically achieving a greater release of energy. The energy advantage can be as high as ten times that of TNT in ideal conditions. The US Bomb Live Unit (BLU) 82 Daisy Cutter is an example of an FAE that was used in the Vietnam War and consists of a 15,000-pound bomb filled with ammonium nitrate, aluminium powder, and polystyrene soap. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), also known as the Mother of All Bombs, is another example of a fuel-air bomb that was used by the US military in Afghanistan. Russia has also developed a fuel-air bomb called the Father of All Bombs (FOAB), which is claimed to be the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of explosive munition | Fuel-air bombs, also called aerosol bombs, vacuum bombs, or fuel-air explosives (FAE), work by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. |
| Chemical combustion | Fuel-air bombs use atmospheric oxygen to combust, so they do not need to include an oxidizer. |
| Fuel composition | The fuel is usually a single compound, and it can be a variety of substances, including hydrocarbons. |
| Energy release | FAEs can release over 400% more energy than TNT, and under ideal conditions, the energy advantage can be as high as ten times that of TNT. |
| Blast wave | Fuel-air bombs generate a blast wave that is more sustained and expands much more rapidly than a conventional explosion. |
| Detonation process | Fuel-air bombs typically detonate in two stages: a small blast creates a cloud of explosive material that is then ignited, producing a powerful pressure wave. |
| Weapon size | The size of fuel-air bombs can vary, with some weighing 32 kg (71 lb) and others weighing up to 2,000 lb (910 kg). |
| Lethal radius | The lethal zone of a fuel-air bomb can have a radius of up to 500 m (1,600 ft). |
| Psychological impact | A significant part of the effect of fuel-air bombs is psychological, as they are designed to instill terror with the massive force of their blast. |
| Historical usage | Fuel-air explosives have been used in various conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and in Afghanistan. |
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What You'll Learn
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs) can release over 400% more energy than TNT
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs), also known as thermobaric weapons, are a type of explosive munition that works by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. This allows the chemical combustion to occur using atmospheric oxygen, meaning the weapon does not need to include an oxidiser. This is in contrast to conventional condensed explosives, which carry their own oxygen.
FAEs can release over 400% more energy than TNT. This is due to the absence of an oxidiser, which means a greater proportion of the payload can be devoted to fuel. In ideal conditions, the energy advantage can be as high as ten times that of TNT. However, the low oxygen content of air (21%) means that the explosive efficiency of FAE systems is less than 40%. The nitrogen in the air dilutes the system and absorbs heat, and it is operationally difficult to achieve an even concentration of fuel in the atmosphere.
The continual combustion of the outer layer of fuel molecules as they come into contact with the air generates added heat, which sustains the detonation. This results in a longer, more sustained blast wave than a conventional explosion. In confinement, a series of reflective shock waves are generated, which can extend the duration of the fireball to between 10 and 50 ms. Further damage can result from the rarefaction effect as the gases cool and the pressure drops sharply, leading to a partial vacuum.
FAEs have been used in several conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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FAEs are different from conventional condensed explosives
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs), also known as thermobaric weapons, are a type of explosive munition that works by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. This allows the chemical combustion to proceed using atmospheric oxygen, so the weapon does not need to include an oxidizer. The fuel is usually a single compound, rather than a mixture of multiple substances.
FAEs differ from conventional condensed explosives in several ways. Firstly, the initial detonation pressures and velocities of FAEs are much lower than those of an equivalent weight of conventional explosives. This means that FAEs have a lesser brisance or shattering effect. However, they have advantages in the propagation of the air blast. Unlike condensed explosives, FAEs do not detonate as a "point source", and the blast overpressure does not decrease as rapidly with distance from the charge. Instead, the source of a FAE explosion is a large cloud, which creates a more sustained blast wave with greater temperatures and impulse. This makes FAEs more effective in enclosed spaces such as caves, tunnels, bunkers, and foxholes.
Another difference is that FAEs are less effective as a direct blast weapon against living targets. Their primary kill mechanism against personnel is through the blast wave's antipersonnel effect, which is magnified in confined spaces. Conventional countermeasures such as barriers and personnel armour are not effective against FAEs. Thus, FAEs are often more useful as a psychological weapon.
FAEs were first developed by the United States for use in the Vietnam War, and they have since been used by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US military has also developed the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), also known as the "'Mother of All Bombs'", which is a large conventional (non-nuclear) bomb with a blast wave stretching for a mile in every direction. Russia has also developed a similar weapon, nicknamed the "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB), which is claimed to be the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world.
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FAE fuels are dispersed by a central explosive burster charge
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs) are a type of thermobaric weapon that works by dispersing a cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. The fuel is usually a single compound, and the cloud is detonated by a second explosive charge, creating a massive blast wave.
FAEs are designed to be dropped or fired from a plane or handheld launcher. The first explosive charge bursts open the container at a predetermined height, dispersing the fuel in a cloud that mixes with atmospheric oxygen. The size of the cloud varies with the size of the munition. The cloud of fuel flows around objects and into structures, and the second charge then detonates the cloud, creating a massive blast wave. This blast wave can destroy reinforced buildings, equipment, and kill or injure people. It is particularly effective in confined spaces such as tunnels, bunkers, and caves, and its psychological impact is significant.
FAE fuels are typically dispersed by a central explosive burster charge, producing a cloud of droplets and vapour that mix with the surrounding air. This cloud then detonates after a delay of between 0.1 to 5 seconds, depending on the system. During this time, there is some evaporation of the droplets and further mixing as the cloud expands, leading to large variations in concentration within the cloud. For this reason, only fuels with a wide range of upper and lower explosive limits (UEL and LEL) are used.
The blast effects of FAEs are determined by the amount of fuel and the combustion mode of the cloud. Most vapor cloud explosions are deflagrations, not detonations. However, a detonation is supersonic and will proceed through almost all of the available flammable vapor, creating far more severe peak over-pressures and much higher amounts of blast energy. The blast effects are also influenced by the particle size of the explosive, with smaller particles being more reactive and easier to ignite.
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FAEs were used in the Vietnam War and by the US in Iraq
Fuel-air explosives (FAEs) are a type of thermobaric weapon, also known as aerosol or vacuum bombs. They work by dispersing a cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive, which then combusts using atmospheric oxygen. This means that the weapon does not need to include an oxidizer. The fuel is usually a single compound rather than a mixture of multiple substances.
FAEs were developed by the United States for use in the Vietnam War. The CBU-55 FAE fuel-air cluster bomb was mostly developed by the US Naval Weapons Center at China Lake, California. The first generation of CBU-55 FAE weapons saw extensive use in the conflict.
The BLU-82B/C-130 weapon system, known as "Commando Vault" and nicknamed "Daisy Cutter", was also used in Vietnam. It was a 15,000-pound (6,800 kg) conventional bomb, delivered from either a C-130 or MC-130 transport aircraft or a CH-54 Tarhe heavy-lift helicopter. The Daisy Cutter was designed to flatten sections of forest to create helicopter landing zones and artillery emplacements. It was first used in Laos in 1970 and was also deployed against NVA and Pathet Lao forces in Laos in 1971, and against NVA positions in Vietnam in the Battle of Xuân Lộc.
A second generation of FAE weapons was used by the United States in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. A total of 254 CBU-72s were dropped by the United States Marine Corps, mostly from A-6Es. They were targeted against minefields and personnel in foxholes but were more useful as a psychological weapon.
The exact energy output of FAEs varies depending on their size and design. The CBU-55, for example, would have a different energy output compared to the larger BLU-82 or CBU-72. FAEs generally range in weight from 500 to 2,000 pounds (225 to 900 kg), while the BLU-82 weighs 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg). The BLU-82 produces an overpressure of 1,000 pounds per square inch (6,900 kPa) near ground zero, tapering off as distance increases. The CBU-72, when dropped from an A-6E, would have a significant blast radius and psychological impact.
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The US MOAB is a non-nuclear fuel-air bomb
The US MOAB, or GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, is a large-yield bomb developed for the US military by Albert L. Weimorts, Jr. of the Air Force Research Laboratory. It is a non-nuclear weapon, the use of which does not require approval from the US President. It was first tested in 2003 and was said to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the American arsenal at the time. It is a huge weapon, measuring 30 ft (9 m) and weighing 21,600 lb (9,800 kg). It is GPS-guided and is dropped from the cargo doors of an MC-130 transport plane. It detonates just before it hits the ground, creating a massive blast wave that stretches for a mile in every direction. This blast is created by 18,000 lb of TNT.
The MOAB is not a penetrator weapon and is primarily an air burst bomb intended for soft to medium surface targets covering extended areas. It is designed to be used against a specific target and cannot replicate the effects of a typical heavy bomber mission. It was first deployed in combat in April 2017 against an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan. The basic principle of the MOAB resembles that of the BLU-82 Daisy Cutter, which was used to clear heavily wooded areas in the Vietnam War. The success of the BLU-82 in Afghanistan in 2001 against the Taliban led to the development of the MOAB.
The MOAB is a thermobaric weapon, which is a type of explosive munition that works by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. This allows the chemical combustion to proceed using atmospheric oxygen, so the weapon does not need to include an oxidizer. The fuel is usually a single compound rather than a mixture of multiple substances. Thermobaric bombs generally detonate in two stages: a small blast creates a cloud of explosive material that is then ignited, generating a devastating pressure wave.
The MOAB is not the US military's heaviest non-nuclear bomb; that distinction belongs to the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000 lb bunker-buster. Russia has also developed a massive conventional bomb, nicknamed the "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB), which is a thermobaric weapon. It was field-tested in 2007 and is claimed to be four times as powerful as the MOAB, with a blast and pressure wave similar to those of a small tactical nuclear weapon. However, the specifications of the FOAB are disputed.
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Frequently asked questions
A fuel-air bomb, also known as a thermobaric weapon, is an explosive munition that works by dispersing a cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. This cloud then detonates, creating a high-pressure blast wave.
A fuel-air bomb detonates in two stages. First, a small blast creates a cloud of explosive material. This cloud then mixes with the surrounding air and is ignited, generating a powerful pressure wave.
The energy release of a fuel-air bomb can be up to ten times that of TNT under ideal conditions. However, due to the low oxygen content in air (only 21%), the explosive efficiency of fuel-air bombs is less than 40%.
Examples of fuel-air bombs include the CBU-55, used extensively in the Vietnam War, and the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), also known as the Mother of All Bombs, used by the US military in Afghanistan. Russia has also developed a fuel-air bomb called the Father of All Bombs (FOAB), which is claimed to be the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world.
