The BLU-82 is a 15,000
pound general purpose
bomb used by the U.S. military. It is delivered to the
target by a
C-130 cargo plane at high
altitude, or at a minimum of 6,000 feet above ground level due to the bomb's high
power. 12,600 pounds of GSX slurry are contained in the
warhead, creating an overpressure in excess 1,000
pounds per square inch upon
detonation. The BLU-82, because it is so large, has about the same explosive power as a small
nuclear device.
The BLU-82 was originally used in Vietnam during the Vietnam War to clear helicopter landing zones in the thick forests and jungles. During the Gulf War, eleven were dropped.
Source: www.fas.org