What is an oxygen bomb?

Answer 1

The Oxygen bomb is more commonly known as a "Fuel-Air Explosive" (F.A.E). It is a Thermobaric (meaning Heat & Pressure) weapon which, when detonated creates the visual illusion of being Thermonuclear in nature. There is nothing radioactive about the bombs contents, however. There is no fall-out or nuclear-winter to be feared from this type of explosive. It is, nonetheless, a terrible weapon and one of average size is capable of vapourising almost everything within approximately a mile of its detonation site. For this reason they are generally used against large, well-entrenched formations of tanks and troops. These weapons are large (the size of shipping containers), and usually dropped by specially modified military cargo planes. They are the most destructive conventional ordinance in existence to date. They detonate in mid-air as a rule, and work in several stages: 1)The outer shell of the container is opened, spilling its fuel contents into the air as vapour. 2)When the fuel vapour has spread over a sufficiently large area it is ignited. 3)The inner shell of the container breaks open and releases its contents of Oxygen into the centre of the ignited fuel. 4)The burning fuel, which is seeking a vast quantity of Oxygen is sucked inward, and drags the surrounding air with it. (With a force strong enough to suck the air out of a persons lungs) 5)The burning fuel meets the released Oxygen "bubble" and explodes with a tremendous force. 6)The pressure wave produced by the explosion is strong enough to flatten almost anything in the vicinity. 7)Any people or animals, which are left gasping for air involuntarily breath in the burning fuel as it is forced outward from the centre of the explosion. By all accounts it is a horrible way to die. For this reason there are many protest movements around the world who campaign for these weapons to be disbanded from service. Additionally, unlike Thermonuclear weapons, there are no prescribed ways of surviving a Thermobaric attack. Even a hardened building may present no obstacle to burning fuel vapour or overwhelming air pressure.