Yesterday's Weapons Forums

The Russian military has announced that it has successfully tested what is described as the world's most powerful non-nuclear, air delivered-bomb. In their remarks on Russian state-owned television, they said this new weapon was nick-named the "Dad of All Bombs" and is four times more powerful than the US "Mother of All Bombs" which has been used in the second Gulf War.

A general on the Russian general staff said that the new bomb is comparable to a nuclear weapon in its efficiency and capability. He also said that unlike a nuclear weapon, the bomb doesn't hurt the environment. I wonder if he realizes how silly that sounds. I think it's safe to say that the environment will still be hurt within the destructive radius of the bomb after it goes off. After all, it is the purpose of any bomb made to "mess things up."

The Russian announcement went on to describe how much bigger and better this new bomb was as compared to the big US conventional bomb first used in 2003 called the M.O.A.B., or Massive Ordnance Air Blast. It would appear that the Russians have gone back to the same old boasting and bragging, however factual, that they sometimes engaged in during the Cold War when they were still the Soviet Union. When I review this news, it brings to mind the Air Force Chief of Staff in the movie, "Doctor Strangelove" played by George C. Scott. Upon learning about the "Doomsday Device," which threatened to destroy the world, Scott turns to the guy next to him and says, "Say, I wonder if we could get one of those Doomsday Devices." We thought the arms race was over with the Cold War, but apparently the Russians can't leave it alone. The Russians have never gotten over the fact that they were the losers in the Cold War, and that they became a third-rate country as a result. Sore losers.

Both the Russian and American mega-bombs work on the thermobaric principle, which is that a cloud of fine particles of flammables is highly explosive, the same effect that causes explosions in grain elevators. The bombs explode in a big nuclear bomb-like mushroom cloud and cause destruction through a massive shock wave created by the air burst and high temperature. Welcome to the "Peace Dividend."

They announced it the same day Putin dissolved the Russian government.

Who said the cold war was over? The only difference is now they've got Europe by the 'short -n- curlies' when it comes to gas, oil, etc.
They've never been our 'friend' and never will.

my take is similar to yours , putin is intent upon reestablishing themselves as a superpower and a full player in the global game ,
he also is planning to do it with or without the support of his fellow government officials ,

but i think the secondary reason for the demonstration is to announce to the terrorist types that he has capabilities and has no qualms about dealing with them should they decice to poke at him ,

we need to look at him as a serious threat as well as a potential allie in future global dealings

hmmm I could suggest a few test areas should he feel the need to try out one.

GG