Why Thermobaric Bombs Are So Devastating

Thermobaric weapons are one of the most unique, and uniquely terrifying types of bomb that exists. Here’s why.

Thermobaric, or vacuum bombs, are different from most in that they do not contain any oxygen inside the warhead to help detonate the charge. Instead, a thermobaric weapon is a two-stage munition that uses surrounding oxygen to help create an explosion.


The first stage of the munition explodes and atomizes any number of highly volatile, low flashpoint fuels. Once this first explosion happens, a second explosion occurs milliseconds afterward to ignite the fuel in the air. When this second explosion occurs, the ignited fuel requires oxygen to combust. As a result, any surrounding air is sucked into the area to create the blast hence why these weapons are nicknamed "vacuum bombs".


Contrary to popular belief, these weapons are not new and have been used in combat since the Vietnam War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


In fact, the United States, Russia, and most other well-equipped militaries use this weapon as a way to defeat entrenched positions, bunkers, and buildings that regular ordnance cannot destroy.

[laramie]

I like how the first thing you show is a MOAB which is a conventional bomb

[commanderred]

Not single clip of thermobaric bomb. 😂😂😂

[christianmcbain]

Lol not a single one of those clips of bombs detonating is a FAE/thermobaric weapon. Most look like GB-6’s

[subymtdan]

You didn't show any video of an actual air fuel bomb

[fbibase]

I was trying to spot the second explosion the entirety of video only to find out that that's the wrong bomb

[Tom-S]

This video is like telling me what the most expensive yacht looks like, then showing me a canoe lol

[The.dudeinator]

“They use these things all the time”
Yet you don’t show us any fuckin footage of them

[davidcotriss]

This is one of the most misrepresenting videos I have ever watched none of these clips are fuel air bomb.

[Cydoniaaa]

“Thermo bombs are the most terrifying bombs ever”
Teachers when you use the F-Bomb: I beg to differ

[brucelownhole]

"One of the most unique"
"Most unique"
"Unique"

[kingdiplomacy]

A lot of that footage is from the JASSM trials, which isn't a fuel air bomb

[dirtyaznstyle]

Wooo introduce you to a silo explosion. Learned about this when I was 15. It’s also a good example of the relationship between volume and surface area

[hardwirecars]

one of my favorite weapons in the old game mercenaries.

[FrankTheUnknown]

Whenever you hear someone start off with “this bomb is terrifying” I think we can agree that all things that go explodey are fucking terrifying

[smartwatchonpluto]

"I am tired, some shorts on youtube would be a good way to fall asleep."

[thomasoaxaca]

It amazes me how man is forever fascinated by such technologically advanced instruments of death and destruction.

[minutemanmedic]

The MOAB is more of a conventional warhead with an added Thermobaric effect, it’s filling Comp H6 is a RDX, TNT, and Powdered Aluminum (a fuel) mix. The TNT and RDX are of course pre oxygenated explosives, this means that they do not burn the aluminum or interact with atmospheric oxygen. When they explode they throw the now superheated aluminum into the atmospheric oxygen creating a secondary Thermobaric explosion.

[foracal]

You never showed one in action.. I guess all the funding went to show scp 682?

[gfield]

If you ever see Zack walking around with his lungs hanging from his mouth, give him my regards, I’m always up for meeting a fellow veteran of Yonkers.

[vornamenachname]

Imagine the money, ressources and knowledge they used to create this went into something actually useful for humanity...