Vacuum bomb: destructive power without radiation contamination

Not so long ago, a vacuum bomb was adopted for the Russian army. According to experts, it is the most powerful non-nuclear munition. This weapon has high damaging characteristics and does not pollute the terrain with radiation, and its price is relatively low.

The principle of the vacuum bomb is built on the basis of a volumetric explosion. People face this phenomenon on a daily basis. In the cylinders of automobile engines, micro-explosions of fuel occur. On a larger scale, this phenomenon is observed in explosions of methane or coal dust in mines. Explosive may be a slurry of flour or wood sawdust because the cloud of matter has a much larger area of contact with air, which acts as an oxidizer.

This effect was used by the military. On the technical side, the vacuum bomb principle of operation is quite simple. After the ammunition comes into contact with the obstacle, its body is destroyed by a special blasting charge. After that , an explosive is sprayed into the air , which creates a large aerosol cloud. It penetrates into fortified points, shelters and other places that are not accessible to defeat by classical ammunition. Then charges are released from the shell, which ignite the suspension. As it burns, a zone of low pressure (relative vacuum) is formed, into which everything around is rapidly absorbed. Therefore, even without a powerful and destructive shock wave that accompanies the explosion of a nuclear munition, a zone of very high pressure is created, which is a remarkable striking factor. Such a munition is called thermobaric.

Vacuum bomb is 5-8 times more effective than classical explosives. In the United States, such ammunition was produced on a napalmic basis. In places where these warheads were used, the soil became similar to the lunar surface, but there was no radiation or chemical contamination. Vacuum bomb can be made on the basis of methane, ethylene oxide, propylnitrate, propylene oxide and other substances.

Until recently, traditional fillers for thermobaric ammunition were used in Russia. However, the substance for the new Russian air bomb has a secret composition and is based on nanotechnology. This is the reason for his enormous power.

Vacuum bombs were used by Americans during the Vietnam War to clear the terrain from the jungle. The explosion of one ammunition created an excellent landing pad for the helicopter. However, soon the US military found that such bombs are very effective in combating unsealed Vietnamese fortifications.

During the war in Lebanon, Israel was tested in public by a vacuum American ammunition. Thrown about a residential building in 8 floors, the charge completely destroyed it (killing about 300 people). In 1999 a vacuum bomb was used in Dagestan. On the Aul Tando, where there were a large number of militants, such a munition was dropped. The village was wiped off the face of the earth, and several hundred bandits were destroyed.