GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast

The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, whose abbreviation is commonly considered a backronym pun meaning Mother of All Bombs, is the highest-yielding non-nuclear guided bomb in the U.S. military inventory. With a high-explosive payload of 8480 kg (18700 lb), it is the successor to the 6800 kg (15000 lb) BLU-82/B bomb, the heaviest that had been used to date.

Both bombs are delivered by MC-130 COMBAT TALON or equivalent aircraft. The unguided BLU-82, however, brought the vulnerable delivery aircraft too close to the target, and, at first, studies were directed at providing glide wings and guidance for it. Eventually, however, a more aerodynamic bomb casing was chosen, and the payload was increased.

It is not intended to attack deeply buried or reinforced targets, but to create a pressure wave over a large area. A typical application would be both detonating land mines in an area, and flattening obstacles to helicopter landing.