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| Thermobaric Bomb, Russia's Deadly Weapon That Can Scorch Skin to Leaking Lungs |
International Military - Thermobaric weapons have in fact been around for decades. This type of weapon is reported to have been used by the United States army in the Vietnam war. These weapons go by many names, enhanced blast weapons, vacuum bombs, or even poor man's nuclear weapons. The names are dramatic because they give a frightening effect on the battlefield.
Russia itself is the country that uses this kind of weapon the most. During the war in Ukraine, Russia launched this bomb from the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). At that time, explosive waves were seen near Novomykhailivka and Lyman, both in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, the Eurasian Times reported.
The name thermobaric itself is taken from two Greek words, namely thermos which means heat and baros which means pressure. Different from conventional bombs, this thermobaric relies on high-pressure shock waves.
The shockwave was more powerful than a conventional bomb blast, destroying anything nearby and sucking oxygen in the air. It could even cause terrible suffocation for anyone within the blast radius. Therefore, the thermobaric weapon earned the nickname vacuum bomb, quoted from The National News.
What's more considering the peak temperature resulting from the explosion was 1,900 degrees Celsius or higher. In addition to shortness of breath, the effects of the explosion will have a negative impact on human organs. As mentioned above, the shock wave will cause severe shortness of breath.
Quoted from Army Technology, the explosion will also break the alveoli in the lungs. Ultimately, the blast will cause fluid to leak into the lungs leading to a condition known as blast lung. If the injury is not treated immediately, in just a matter of hours the person affected by this attack will die.
In the cardiovascular system, explosions can cause air embolism and damage to the lining of the heart muscle. The gastrointestinal system is also vulnerable because the shock waves pass through the air pockets in the intestines. This can cause perforation and bleeding.
The Central Nervous System can also suffer from air embolism in the cerebral arteries. It causes rapid damage and leads to death. In addition to the effects on body organs, there is also a flash burn effect from thermobaric weapons.
The shockwaves produce extremely hot temperatures, turning wood and concrete into shards. In the human body, this effect will scorch the skin to the inside.