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Foreign Affairs

ProfessorGAC

(75,032 posts)

1. For Those Unaware Of Thermobaric Weapons...

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Oct 29, 2025, 05:54 PM

Wednesday

...this piece from the movie "Outbreak" is a pretty accurate depiction.
These weapons disperse a fine mist of a highly flammable chemical, typically ethylene oxide, or just ethylene, and a charge about the power of a couple shotgun shells detonates the cloud.
It creates a BLEVE, (Boiling Liquid Evaporating Vapor Explosion) and packs an enormous punch.
I've seen a large controlled one set off at New Mexico Tech back in the 90s. Pretty terrifying.
The second video is of a real BLEVE. Fast forward to about 50 seconds.

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Russians lose thermobaric artillery systems en masse to intense counterbattery fire - RFU News [View all] TexasTowelie Wednesday OP

For Those Unaware Of Thermobaric Weapons... ProfessorGAC Wednesday #1