Sunday, October 4, 2015

Carbon Fiber Bomb Approved for Export

The United States Air Force is interested in restarting the production of BLU-129/B, a bomb made of carbon fiber that is designed to cause less collateral damage. The production run will cater for USAF requirement and for export customer already cleared for JDAM.

The 227kg (500lb) bomb unit can be mated to JDAM tail kits and other weapon tailkits that interface with the standard 500lb bomb body shape.

The BLU-129/B Precision Lethality 227kg (500lb) MK82 was funded as a Quick Reaction Capability acquisition program in response to a United States Central Command's Joint Urgent Operational Need for a low collateral damage weapon. Also known as the Very Low Collateral Damage Weapon (VLCDW). It is more commonly referred to as a Precision Lethality Mk 82, or PL Mk 82. The BLU-129/B uses carbon-fiber-wound construction for the warhead casing instead of steel casing.  The carbon-fiber-wound bomb body would disintegrates instead of fragmenting, which adds explosive force nearby, but lowers collateral damage.

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