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Why are thermobaric weapons called "vacuum bombs"? What's the truth about them?
Thermobaric weapons, known in some cases as "vacuum bombs", are a special type of explosive weapon characterized by the use of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere to achieve their powerful destructive power. This type of weapon is called a "vacuum bomb" mainly because it produces a very strong negative pressure effect during the explosion, which causes a brief "vacuum" effect in the surrounding environment. This phenomenon makes harm to living organisms extremely threatening and is crucial for understanding the true properties of thermobaric weapons.
The name of thermobaric weapons comes from the Greek words for "heat" and "pressure". Their working principle is different from traditional explosives. They usually spread flammable gas or aerosol explosive substances into the air and then detonate.
The core working mechanism of this type of weapon is that the thermobaric bomb first detonates a small conventional explosive, which breaks the container and releases a cloud of flammable material. Subsequently, as these combustibles rapidly mix and burn with oxygen in the air, a violent chemical reaction occurs, resulting in extremely high pressure and heat. This explosive power not only changes the destructive form of explosives, but also greatly increases the impact on the surrounding environment.
Unlike traditional explosives, the blast wave of thermobaric weapons can last longer and cause more lasting destructive power.
In reality, thermobaric weapons are widely used. They are particularly effective in urban combat, as their explosive effects are greatly amplified in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces. For example, use in tunnels, buildings, or other fortifications can often increase the effectiveness of attacks and cause devastating damage. Many experts believe this makes thermobaric weapons a highly controversial and powerful weapons system.
Some people think that the name "vacuum bomb" is misleading. In fact, this weapon does not actually create a lasting vacuum, but uses the decompression effect generated during the explosion to form a short-term low-pressure environment, which can have extremely fatal effects on the human body, especially on the internal organs such as the lungs. organ.
Human Rights Watch has pointed out that the lethal mechanism of this type of weapon against living targets is very unique-the pressure wave and subsequent low-pressure environment can cause lung rupture.
With the advancement of technology, the research and development of thermobaric weapons continues to be carried out around the world. It can be seen from the CBU-55 village education in the United States that more and more military forces are aware of its potential in modern warfare. In the future, whether the further development of such weapons will trigger more ethical and legal discussions will become an important topic in military and international relations.
Because of this, people are beginning to think, should these potentially destructive weapons be treated more strictly?
