Thermobaric weapon

March 4, 2022

A thermobaric weapon is one of the most devastating weapons as they cause significantly greater destruction than a conventional bomb of comparable size.

About thermobaric weapon

It uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion.
It is also known as an aerosol bomb, fuel-air explosive (FAE), or vacuum bomb.
The fuel-air explosive is one of the best-known types of thermobaric weapons. Different fuels can be used, including toxic powdered metals & organic matter containing oxidants.
It can be fitted to hand-held launchers, can be fired as rockets from tank-mounted launchers, or dropped from aircraft.

Mechanism

These weapons generally work in two stages.
As the weapons hit the target, a first explosion occurs and it will open the bomb’s fuel container, releasing a cloud of fuel and metal particles that spreads over a large area.
Then a second explosion occurs to ignite the aerosol cloud into a giant ball of fire and send out intense blast waves that can cause huge destruction.

Comparison with conventional weapons

Conventional explosives consist of flue-oxidizer premix-like black powder which contains fuel and oxidizer in the ratio of 25:75. On the other hand, thermobaric weapons are almost 100% fuel and rely on atmospheric oxygen.
They are more destructive when used against field fortifications such as bunkers, caves.
They are also more energetic than conventional condensed explosives of equal weight.
The blast wave of a thermobaric weapon lasts longer than that of a conventional condensed explosive. However, their dependence on atmospheric oxygen makes them unsuitable for use underwater, at high altitudes, and in adverse weather.

International law

Thermobaric munitions are not explicitly prohibited for use against military targets.
However, their use against civilian populations in built-up areas, schools, or hospitals, could attract action under the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.
The use of weapons in indiscriminate attacks – those that cannot distinguish between combatants and civilians – is forbidden by the Geneva Conventions. A thermobaric weapon might be targeted specifically at military installations but it will kill civilians too.

Russia-Ukraine war

Human rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the USA, accused Russia of using thermobaric weapons in the ongoing war against Ukraine. This attack acts as the latest reminder that we must act to eliminate thermobaric weapons under strict international control.

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