38,000lb EOD Rocket Engine Disposal

Warning Explicit Lyrics: This is a 38,000lb shot at Hill AFB (Oasis ranges). The motor is unserviceable because of cracks in the propellant that would cause the rocket to explode when launched. This is a very good example of low explosives behaving in a high explosive manner when initiated with high explosives. Even everyday smokeless powder will detonate when initiated with a brisant high explosive. This particular shot left a hole deep enough to stand a school bus up in. A blast like this would do mass damage in close proximity to anything. Their have been vehicle born IED incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan reaching this size. A truck detonating with this amount of force would devastate a checkpoint or in the event that the vehicle is able to make it into a base a large number of buildings and personnel. This entire shot at 38,000lbs was initiated using nothing more than a blasting cap and a single block of C4 (1.25lbs). The remaining blast is all from the rocket motor propellant.