China builds bomb more powerful than US’ ‘MOAB’

In a proposed reply to US-built 'Mother of All Bombs' (MOAB), China has developed a massive bomb which is the most powerful non-nuclear weapon, reported official media on Friday.

A state-run Global Times report said that China's defence industry giant NORINCO for the first time showcased the aerial bomb, the country's largest non-nuclear bomb.

It is dubbed as the Chinese version of the "Mother of All Bombs" due to its huge destruction potential that is claimed to be only second to nuclear weapons, the daily said.

Judging from a promotional video released by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO) on its website at the end of December, which showed the bomb being airdropped by an H-6K bomber and causing a gigantic explosion, 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.

"The massive blast can easily and completely wipe out fortified ground targets such as reinforced buildings, bastions and defence shelters," Wei said.

Wei said that the Chinese bomb is smaller and lighter than the US one, enabling it to be deployed on the H-6K bomber.

A NORINCO representative clarified that the bomb shown in the video is not a thermobaric weapon, but did not provide additional details, the Global Times report said.