How Much Does The U.S. 'Mother Of All Bombs' Really Costs

A Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon, commonly known as the "Mother of All Bombs,” being prepared for testing at the Eglin Air Force Armament Center in 2003. DoD Photo

Business Insider: How much the US's 'mother of all bombs' really costs

The US's Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb does not cost $314 million, or $16 million, but $170,000 a unit, the US Air Force told Business Insider on Friday.

The weapon, whose acronym inspired the nickname "Mother of All Bombs," was produced by the Air Force, not by a third party like Lockheed or Boeing, "so we don't have a standard procurement cost associated with them," an Air Force official said.

The $170,000 figure makes sense considering a general-purpose 1,000-pound MK-83 costs about $12,000. The MOAB simply features more high explosives and larger fins to direct the GPS-guided munition.

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WNU Editor: Still .... $170,000 for just a conventional bomb (albeit a big one) makes it a very expensive bomb.

Update: The reason why some news agencies are saying that the unit cost per bomb is $16 million is because of this .... It took $314 million to develop and has a unit cost of $16 million for the current inventory (From Fiscal Times). Ignore the research and development costs .... $170,000 per bomb.

Pentagon Releases Video Of MOAB Strike Against ISIS In Afghanistan

The Hill: Pentagon releases video of ‘mother of all bombs’ being dropped in Afghanistan

The Pentagon on Friday released video showing the U.S. military's largest non-nuclear weapon being dropped on a terrorist tunnel network in Afghanistan.

As part of Operation Resolute Support, the military dropped the GBU-43 Massive Ordinance Air Blast Bomb to take out tunnels in northeast Afghanistan that had been used by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

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WNU Editor: For a better understanding on how large the impact of a GBU-43 strike is, check out the maps below:

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

MOAB: The Mother of All Bombs - otherwise known as the GBU-43 would obliterate most of Times Square with a yield blast of 0.011 KT

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Sheer power: The effects of a MOAB detonation are explained below - 1: FireBall - 2 - Air Blast - 3 - Continuing Air Blast and 4 - Burn injuries

U.S. MOAB Strike In Afghanistan Killed Dozens of Islamic State Fighters -- News Roundup

VOA: Afghan Government Says 36 IS Members Killed in MOAB Bombing

Afghanistan says a massive bomb dropped Thursday by a U.S. warplane killed 36 members of Islamic State group and destroyed a large cache of weapons.

A statement released by the Afghan defense ministry Friday said there were no civilian casualties in this attack. The 10,000-kilogram GBU-43 bomb, known as "the mother of all bombs" (MOAB), was dropped on an Islamic State bunker complex in northeastern Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan Thursday.

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U.S. MOAB Strike In Afghanistan Killed Dozens of Islamic State Fighters -- News Roundup

Government: 36 Islamic State fighters killed by massive bomb -- AP
U.S.'mother of all bombs' killed 36 Islamic State militants in Afghanistan -- Reuters
‘Mother of All Bombs’ Killed Dozens of Militants, Afghan Officials Say -- NYT
MOAB strike: US bombing of IS in Afghanistan 'killed dozens' -- BBC
36 Isis militants killed in US 'mother of all bombs' attack, Afghan ministry says -- The Guardian
Afghanistan says 36 IS militants killed by 'mother of all bombs' -- UPI
U.S. commander explains use of "mother of all bombs" in Afghanistan -- CBS
US military defends dropping 'mother of all bombs' on ISIS in Afghanistan -- CNN
Giant Bomb Was 'Right Weapon' For Attack On ISIS, U.S. General Says -- NPR
U.S. general says decision to use 'mother of all bombs' in Afghanistan purely tactical -- Reuters
'Right time' to use huge bomb in Afghanistan: U.S. general -- Reuters
Why America Dropped ‘Mother of All Bombs’ on ISIS in Afghanistan -- Alexander Smith, NBC
The 'Mother of All Bombs' (MOAB) has been dropped on Afghanistan. Here's what it does (and doesn't) mean -- Thomas W. Spoehr, FOX News
Why the 'mother of all bombs' and why now? -- Peter Bergen, CNN
'It felt like the heavens were falling': Afghans reel from MOAB's impact -- Sune Engel Rasmussen, The Guardian
Afghanistan tunnels targeted by US GBU-43 bomb, biggest non-nuclear weapon ever used -- ABC News Online
'Mother of all bombs' - what has it achieved? -- Shamil Shams & Masood Saifullah, DW
Mother Of All Bombs: What is it and why is the US now using it to fight Islamic State? -- Steven Viney, ABC News Online
What makes MOAB Mother of All Bombs? -- DW
Factbox: 'Mother of all bombs' targets Islamic State in Afghanistan -- Reuters
US strike in Afghanistan: What is the 'Mother of All Bombs'? -- AFP