GBU-43/B MOAB

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gbu-43-b-moab

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the munition designation?GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB)
2. What is the inaugural combat use?April 13, 2017, against an ISIS-K tunnel complex in Achin District, Afghanistan
3. Why is the MOAB called the "mother of all bombs"?The name MOAB means "mother of all battles" because it is meant to be the most powerful bomb that can be used without nuclear weapons. It shows how strong it can be.
4. How is the MOAB delivered to its target?Special C‑130 planes, called MC‑130E and MC‑130H, carry the MOAB in their cargo bay. The plane drops it from a high altitude so it falls fast and hits the target with a big blast.

Large-yield munition: An explosive device designed to produce a very large destructive effect upon detonation.
Non-nuclear weapon: A conventional explosive device that does not rely on nuclear fission or fusion for its energy release.
Hardened targets: Military objectives that are protected by reinforced structures, such as underground bunkers or fortified positions.
Blast radius: The area surrounding an explosion where the overpressure from the blast wave can cause significant damage.