US Navy releases footage of 40,000lb bomb that caused earthquake 100 miles away

The US navy shared the footage on social media.

The US Navy has released some incredible footage of the moment a 40,000lbs (18 tonne) bomb was detonated off the East Coast of the United States.

The bomb blast was part of a “full shop shock trial” and was so powerful that it triggered a 3.9 magnitude earthquake 100 miles away in Florida.

The underwater detonation took place with a Navy ship on the surface, aiming to test the strength and durability of the vessel, in order to get an understanding of how it would cope in a battle environment.

The clip was shared on the official USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Twitter account, and reads: “#Warship78 completes the 1st explosive event of Full Ship Shock Trials!

“The leadership and crew demonstrated #NavyReadiness fighting through the shock, proving our warship can ‘take a hit’ and continue our mission on the cutting edge of #NavalAviation!”

“The first-in-class aircraft carrier was designed using advanced computer modelling methods, testing, and analysis to ensure the ship is hardened to withstand battle conditions, and these shock trials provide data used in validating the shock hardness of the ship.”

The statement explained: “Ford’s shock trials are being conducted off the East Coast of the United States, within a narrow schedule that complies with environmental mitigation requirements, respecting known migration patterns of marine life in the test area.

“The Navy also has employed extensive protocols throughout FSST to ensure the safety of military and civilian personnel participating in the testing evolution.