Gigantic New Bunker-Blaster Bombs Ready for Iranian Underground Targets!
July 28, 2007
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The General description of the Bunker-Blaster Bombs described in the DEBKAfile Report, which follows our heading, is as
follows:
BLU-109 / I-2000 / HAVE VOID
The 2000 lb BLU-109 was originally developed by Lockheed Martin to defeat the enemy’s most critical and hardened targets, secure command locations, protected weapon storage, and key transportation and communication resources. The BLU-109’s advanced technology case penetrates the target intact to get to the interior of hardened targets, where the warhead explodes, ensuring target destruction.
In 1985, Lockheed Missile and Space Corporation received a contract with the US Air Force to develop a Hard Target Weapon — an air delivered steel cased bomb that could penetrate up to six feet of reinforced concrete
in a shallow buried target. National Forge Company (NFC) manufactured the warhead case assemblies for Lockheed Missiles & Space Corporation, before becoming the Prime Contractor to the US Government, producing both the USAF (Model 110) and NAVY (Model 150) Penetrator Warhead Assemblies.
The BLU-109 improved performance 2,000 pound bomb developed in 1985 under the project name HAVE VOID.
The BLU-109 was designed for use against hardened structures and features a high-strength forged steel case and a new delayed-action tail fuze. It carries 550 pounds of high explosives and can penetrate more than six feet of reinforced concrete.
BLU-109 is a primary weapon for the world’s air and naval forces.
It can be delivered as either a guided or unguided weapon.
It has been certified on a variety of combat-proven precision guidance systems, and is available for international sale
in certified configuration or can be customized for flight on any aircraft capable of carrying 2000-lb stores.
The BLU series bomb bodies use PBNX-109 as explosive filler.
The BLU-109A/B used with the GBU-24 and GBU-31(V)4/B is a special purpose bomb comprised of steel alloy used for hardened targets.
The BLU-109/B (I-2000) is an improved 2,000-pound-class bomb designed as a penetrator without a forward fuze well. Its configuration is relatively slim, and its skin is much harder than that of the standard MK-84 bomb.
The skin is a single-piece, forged warhead casing of one-inch, high-grade steel. Its usual tail fuze is a mechanical-electrical FMU-143. The 1,925-pound bomb has a 550-pound tritonal high-explosive blast warhead. The BLU-109/B was always mated with a laser guidance kit to form a laser-guided bomb in Desert Storm.
National Forge Company became responsible in 1986 for the application of Statistical Process Control (SPC) to the machining operations of the BLU-109/B Warhead Case on a FSD contract for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company. The SPC data was utilized by manufacturing and quality control activities to analyze nonconformance unique to each machining center. In 1989, the company was the Quality Assurance Manager on the development of Hard Target Ordnance Package (HTOP) warhead materials and related processes, required to defeat targets identified by Eglin Air Force Base.
The company also worked that year on the proposal effort and the follow-on contract to develop a cast steel BLU-109/B or I-2000 that is equal to or better than the forged version of the I-2000 Warhead.
In 1992, National Forge Company was awarded by Hill Air Force Base the production contract (Ref# F42630-92-C-0273), for 1904 assemblies of the BLU-109/B. In 1993, NFC was awarded another production contract (Ref# F42630-93-C-0398) by Hill Air Force Base; this time for the production of 5569 assemblies of the BLU-109/B.
Begin DEBKAfile Report
DEBKAfile reports: US Air Force B-2 Stealth bombers will soon be fitted with newly-developed 15-tonne Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs
July 23, 2007, 10:05 AM (GMT+02:00)
American military sources say the gigantic new bunker-blaster is designed to hit fortified underground targets such as Iran’s uranium-enrichment facility
at Natanz.
It will be capable of drilling through many meters of earth or concrete. When it falls from a high altitude, the MOP – composed of 20% explosives, 80% hardened metal – will punch a hole in the toughest protective casing before exploding in depth. It is GPS guided.
DEBKAfile’s military sources reveal that Israel’s RAFAEL has upgraded its US-made SPICE air-to-ground missile, adding a stand-off precision guidance kit.
This kit has been cleared for the US-made BLU-109 penetrator warhead, carried by Israeli warplanes, which is rated one of the top-line US weapons capable of hitting fortified targets from the air or warship.
Its effective drop range has been extended from 60km to 90km enabling Israeli warplanes to release the missile to target from outside enemy territory without being exposed to air defense fire.
The Israel-made PGM cannot be jammed since it does not depend on coordinates which can be falsified.
After the targets are loaded into the bomb’s computer and dropped, it navigates and guides itself without pilot intervention and cannot therefore be diverted in mid-flight.
The unveiling of these super-weapons comes shortly after satellite pictures showed new digging efforts in the mountains just outside Iran’s Natanz facility.
Analysts worldwide believe a tunnel complex is under development.
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