The Soviets, and their parred down left overs, the Russians, have a bad habit of copying “stuff” we design, test and produce. Side Note: We’re not above doing a little ourselves, but that can be a whole series of posts unto itself….

So, we made the “Mother of All Bombs,” the Massive Ordnance Air Burst bomb in 1993. weighing in at 21,000 lbs, it is 6K lbs heavier than the BLU-82 “Daisy Cutter” used since the Vietnam War. The weapon relies upon it’s “FAE” (fuel air explosive) characteristics to make a point when it detonates.So, the Russians, after a decade and a few years, have managed to make what they call the “Father of All Bombs.”

Russia’s military yesterday announced that it had successfully tested a lethal new air-delivered bomb, which it described as the world’s most powerful non-nuclear weapon.

In what appears to be the Kremlin’s latest display of military might, officials said Moscow had developed a new thermobaric bomb to add to its already potent nuclear arsenal.

Russia’s state-run Channel One television said the new ordnance – dubbed the Father of all Bombs – is four times more powerful than the US’s Mother of all Bombs.
[…]

According to the article, the FOAB is delivered by the TU-160 “Blackjack” strategic bomber (oh, BTW, a knock off of the B-1 Lancer), reported to have a payload 88,220 lbs, which, would square with the “four times” as big claim….The Guardian, where I found this report, can’t manage to stick to reporting, but has to blame this new weapons on President Bush’s plan to locate ABM systems in Europe:

[…]
The development of this latest device appears to be another response to the Bush administration’s plans to site elements of its missile defence system in central Europe. Mr Putin has denounced the plan, arguing that it upsets Europe’s strategic balance, and has vowed to respond.
[…]

My comment: What buffons! Weaponry such as this didn’t begin their development on June 7th (or 8th, if you want to to think the leadership slept on the decision to order the development), 2007. Besides, from a tactical standpoint, you wouldn’t need an “almost a nuke” to render ABM sites combat ineffective. No, the Russians made it, because they want to have a “big bang” in their pocket, and can say with a straight face, “nope, that’s sure not a nuke we got here, boys!” at the negotiation table.

Anyhow, We’re gonna have to make a bigger bomber if we’re gonna compete in the “who can make the Grand-Pappy” of all bombs race…

Update 09/14/2007: Major John (USAF) of OpFor sez we got a bomb with more bang than the new one the Russians built…and oh, yea, it goes deep and then goes “BOOM!” The Russian FOAB isn’t a penetrator…ya’ll paying attention Iran?