Not so long ago, a vacuum bomb was adopted by the Russian army. According to experts, it is the most powerful non-nuclear munition. This weapon has high striking characteristics and does not pollute the area with radiation, and its price is relatively low.
The principle of operation of a vacuum bomb is built on the basis of a volume explosion. With this phenomenon, people face daily. Micro-explosions of fuel occur in the cylinders of automobile engines. On a larger scale, this phenomenon is observed during methane explosions or coal dust in mines. A suspension of flour or sawdust can explode due to the fact that the cloud of matter has a much larger area of contact with air, which acts as an oxidizing agent.
The military found use for this effect. From a technical point of view, the vacuum bomb operation principle is quite simple. After the ammunition comes into contact with an obstacle, its body is destroyed using a special subversive charge. Then an explosive is sprayed into the air , which creates a large aerosol cloud. It penetrates the fortified points, shelters and other places that are inaccessible to defeat the classic ammunition. Then charges are released from the body, which set fire to the suspension. As it burns, a zone with a low pressure (relative vacuum) is formed, into which everything around is quickly absorbed. Therefore, even without the powerful and destructive shock wave that accompanies the explosion of a nuclear weapon, a zone of very high pressure is created, which is a wonderful damaging factor. Such ammunition is called thermobaric.
The vacuum bomb is 5-8 times more effective than classical explosives in its strength. In the United States, such ammunition was manufactured on a napalm basis. In places where these warheads were used, the soil became similar to the lunar surface, but there was no radiation or chemical pollution. The vacuum bomb can be made on the basis of methane, ethylene oxide, propyl nitrate,
propylene oxide and other substances.
Until recently, traditional fillers for thermobaric munitions were used in the Russian Federation. However, the substance for the new Russian air bomb has a secret composition and is based on nanotechnology. This is due to its huge power.
Vacuum bombs were used by the Americans during the Vietnam War to clear the area from the jungle. The explosion of an ammunition created an excellent landing pad for a helicopter. Soon, however, the U.S. military discovered that such bombs were very effective in fighting leaking Vietnamese fortifications.
During the Lebanon war, Israel tested human vacuum American ammunition. Dumped near a residential building of 8 floors, the charge completely destroyed it (about 300 people died). In 1999, a vacuum bomb was used in Dagestan. Such a munition was dropped on the village of Tando, where there were a large number of militants. The village was wiped off the face of the earth, and several hundred bandits were destroyed.