China develops its 'Mother of All Bombs'

The bomb caused a gigantic explosion, showed a promotional video released by China's defence industry giant NORINCO. Pic/Twitter

China has developed a massive bomb, said to be the country's answer to the US-built 'Mother of All Bombs', the most powerful non-nuclear weapon, official media reported on Friday. China's defence industry giant NORINCO for the first time showcased the aerial bomb, the country's largest non-nuclear bomb, state-run Global Times reported.

It is dubbed as the Chinese version of the 'Mother of All Bombs' due to its huge destruction potential claimed to be only second to nuclear weapons, the daily said. The bomb was airdropped by an H-6K bomber and caused a gigantic explosion, showed a promotional video released by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO). This is the first time the new bomb's destructive powers have been shown in public, said state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Last year, while waging war against militants in Afghanistan, the US military dropped a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon, more commonly known as the "Mother of All Bombs," on the Islamic State.

Although China is using the same nickname for its bomb, said to weigh several tonnes, the Chinese weapon is smaller and lighter than its American counterpart. Judging from the video and the size of the H-6K's bomb bay, the bomb is approximately five to six meters long, Beijing-based military analyst Wei Dongxu told the Global Times on Thursday.

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