Who has the biggest bombs of them all?

[Serb]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs


Russia's Antanov AN-225 (only one current built I believe) carries 250 metric tonnes (275 short tons).

Unfortunatelly, after collapse of the USSR this one now belongs to Ukraine. But we have a couple of dozens of AN-124, which can carry up to 150 tonns.

AN-225+Soviet Shuttle Buran.

[Dis]

ahh, I found the thread.

Here's an update.

http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5852429

Still not as cool as the above ground nuke tests. I wish I was alive to see those. . Easy to say where I live. They always did the tests when Vegas was upwind of the nuke tests. Poor people in Utah got stuck with the fallout.

[LordShiva]

WTF is a "strake?"

[:) Smiley]

Originally posted by Dis
They always did the tests when Vegas was upwind of the nuke tests. Poor people in Utah got stuck with the fallout.

hmm hmm hmm hmm

[Will9]

There is no plane we know of that can carry 700 tones, but it was tested in Nevada testing site (where Area 51 is located) so they must have a plane we don't know about.

[Dis]

Originally posted by LordShiva
WTF is a "strake?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strake

[Dis]

update: The test has been cancelled.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Feb-23-Fri-2007/news/12761112.html

They aren't saying why, but the public outcry is the biggest reason. People are worried about radioactive dust being kicked up into the atmosphere 10,000 feet. While I have my doubts just how radioactive this dust actually is, I understand their concerns. But most of the above ground tests in the 50's and 60's were done using smaller a bombs, and I doubt that much radiactivity exists. But the goverment couldn't prove everything was safe.

As some of you may know the downwinders as they liked to be called were affected by above ground testing back in the 50's and 60's. My city was always upwind (if only 60 miles away) . Some say John Wayne got cancer cells while filming a movie in Utah because of this. But I think he smoked too, that might have something to do with it. .

So I question the desire to forsake national security based on irrational fears. Well maybe there is a little bit of rationality to them. But really, this test wasn't all that practical anyways. The "bomb" is too big to be deliverable in any meaningful, accurate way. Just how would we use it? But I do support the testing, and research into bunker busting bombs.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Will9
There is no plane we know of that can carry 700 tones, but it was tested in Nevada testing site (where Area 51 is located) so they must have a plane we don't know about.

There was no mention in the OP article about this test being of an air-dropped device. The first atomic bomb test and the first hydrogen bomb tests were of bombs set up on platforms.

From the OP, it sounded like they would build a replica of some hardened bunker, then set up a huge pile of conventional explosives next to it, and watch what would happen.