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{{short description|500 lb unguided aerial bomb}}
{{short description|500 lb unguided aerial bomb}}
{{Infobox weapon
{{Infobox weapon
|name= Mark 82 General Purpose (GP) Bomb
| name = Mark 82 General Purpose bomb
| image= Mk-82 xxl.jpg
| image = Mk-82 xxl.jpg
| image_size = 300
| image_size = 300
| alt =
|caption= Mk 82 bomb as displayed on U.S. Air Force website.
| caption =
⚫
|origin=United States
|type=Low-drag general-purpose bomb
| type = Low-drag [[general-purpose bomb]]
⚫
| origin = United States
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_explosive=yes
<!-- Type selection -->| is_explosive = y
<!-- Service history -->
<!-- Service history -->| service = Since 1950s
| used_by =
|service=
⚫
| wars = <!-- Production history -->
|used_by=
| designer =
|wars=
⚫
| design_date =
⚫
<!-- Production history -->
|designer= General Dynamics
| manufacturer = [[General Dynamics]]
| unit_cost = {{Currency|4000|US}}
⚫
|design_date=
⚫
| production_date =
|manufacturer= General Dynamics
| number =
|unit_cost= $2,082.50 (in 2001)<ref>{{cite web|url= http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blafmunicosts.htm|title= Air Force Munitions Acquisition Costs|publisher= About.comUS Military|access-date= 2013-09-22|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130928022523/http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blafmunicosts.htm|archive-date= 2013-09-28|url-status= live}}</ref>
| variants = {{ubl|[[GBU-12 Paveway II]]|GBU-22 Paveway III|[[Joint Direct Attack Munition|GBU‐38 JDAM]]|[[Joint Direct Attack Munition#JDAM Extended Range|JDAM-ER]]|[[Paveway IV]]}}
⚫
|production_date=
⚫
<!-- General specifications -->| spec_label =
|number=
| mass = {{cvt|241|kg|lb|order=flip}}
|variants=[[GBU-12 Paveway II]]
| length = {{cvt|2.21|m|ftin|order=flip}}
[[Joint Direct Attack Munition|GBU-38 JDAM]]
| width =
⚫
<!-- General specifications -->
| height =
|spec_label=
|weight= {{convert|500|lb|kg|sigfig=3}}
| diameter = {{cvt|273|mm|in|order=flip}}
<!-- Explosive specifications -->| filling = [[Tritonal]], [[Composition H-6|Comp H-6]] or [[Polymer-bonded explosive#PBXN-109|PBXN-109]]
|length= {{convert|87.4|in|m|sigfig=3}}
⚫
| filling_weight = {{cvt|89|kg|lb|order=flip}}
|part_length=
⚫
| detonation =
|width=
| yield = <!-- For all -->
|height=
| ref = [[Janes Information Services|Janes]]<ref>{{Citation |author=[[Janes Information Services|Janes]] |url=https://customer.janes.com/display/JALW2717-JALW |title=Mk 80 general‐purpose bombs (BLU‐110/111/117/126/129) |date=26 July 2022 |website=Janes Weapons: Air Launched |publisher=Jane's Group UK Limited. |publication-place=[[Coulsdon]], [[Surrey]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |author=[[Janes Information Services|Janes]] |url=https://customer.janes.com/display/JALWA051-JALW |title=GBU-10/12/16/58 Paveway II |date=1 June 2023 |website=Janes Weapons: Air Launched |publisher=Jane's Group UK Limited. |publication-place=[[Coulsdon]], [[Surrey]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |author=[[Janes Information Services|Janes]] |url=https://customer.janes.com/display/JALW3671-JALW |title=GBU‐22, GBU‐24, GBU‐27 Paveway III, and Enhanced Paveway III |date=1 December 2022 |website=Janes Weapons: Air Launched |publisher=Jane's Group UK Limited. |publication-place=[[Coulsdon]], [[Surrey]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |author=[[Janes Information Services|Janes]] |url=https://customer.janes.com/display/JALW3667-JALW |title=GBU‐31/32/38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) |date=1 June 2023 |website=Janes Weapons: Air Launched |publisher=Jane's Group UK Limited. |publication-place=[[Coulsdon]], [[Surrey]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |author=[[Janes Information Services|Janes]] |url=https://customer.janes.com/display/JALW9213-JALW |title=Paveway IV (PGB) |date=4 August 2021 |website=Janes Weapons: Air Launched |publisher=Jane's Group UK Limited. |publication-place=[[Coulsdon]], [[Surrey]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 June 2023}}</ref> & ''The War Zone''<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Newdick |first1=Thimas |last2=Rogoway |first2=Tyler |date=15 December 2022 |title=What Joint Direct Attack Munitions could do for Ukraine |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/what-jdam-smart-bombs-could-do-for-ukraine |magazine=The War Zone |location=[[Miami]], [[New York City|New York]] & [[San Francisco]] |publisher=Recurrent Ventures |access-date=29 May 2023}}</ref>
|diameter= {{convert|10.75|in|mm|sigfig=3}}
|crew=
<!-- Explosive specifications -->
|filling=[[Tritonal]], [[Minol (explosive)]] or [[Composition H6]]
⚫
|filling_weight= {{convert|192|lb|kg|sigfig=2}}
⚫
|detonation=
|yield=
}}
}}


The '''Mark 82''' (Mk 82) is an [[Unguided bomb|unguided]], low-[[drag (physics)|drag]] [[general-purpose bomb]], part of the United States [[General-purpose bomb#Modern American GP bombs: the Mark 80 series|Mark 80 series]]. The explosive filling is usually [[tritonal]], though other compositions have sometimes been used.
The '''Mark 82''' is a {{convert|500|lb|kg|adj=on}} [[Unguided bomb|unguided]], low-[[drag (physics)|drag]] [[general-purpose bomb]], part of the United States [[General-purpose bomb#Modern American GP bombs: the Mark 80 series|Mark 80 series]]. The explosive filling is usually [[tritonal]], though other compositions have sometimes been used.


== Development and deployment ==
== Development and deployment ==
[[File:B-2 Spirit bombing, 1994.jpg|thumb|left|A [[B-2 Spirit]] dropping Mk 82 bombs into the Pacific Ocean in a 1994 training exercise off [[Point Mugu, California]].]]
[[File:B-2 Spirit bombing, 1994.jpg|thumb|left|A [[B-2 Spirit]] dropping {{nowrap|Mk82}} bombs into the Pacific Ocean in a 1994 training exercise off [[Point Mugu, California]].]]


With a nominal weight of 500&nbsp;lb (227&nbsp;kg), it is the one of the smallest in current service, and one of the most common air-dropped weapons in the world. Although the Mk 82's ''nominal'' weight is 500&nbsp;lb (227&nbsp;kg), its actual weight varies depending on its configuration, from 510&nbsp;lb (232&nbsp;kg) to 570&nbsp;lb (259&nbsp;kg). It is a streamlined steel casing containing 192&nbsp;lb (89&nbsp;kg) of [[Tritonal]] high explosive. The Mk 82 is offered with a variety of fin kits, [[fuze]]s, and retarders for different purposes.
With a nominal weight of {{cvt|500|lb|kg}}, it is one of the smallest bombs in current service, and one of the most common air-dropped weapons in the world. Although the {{nowrap|Mk82's}} nominal weight is {{cvt|500|lb|kg}}, its actual weight varies depending on its configuration, from {{cvt|510|to|570|lb|kg}}. It is a streamlined steel casing containing {{cvt|192|lb|kg}} of [[Tritonal]] high explosive. The {{nowrap|Mk82}} is offered with a variety of fin kits, [[fuze]]s, and [[General-purpose_bomb#Retarded_versions|retarders]] for different purposes.


The Mk 82 is the warhead for the [[GBU-12]] [[laser-guided bomb]]s and for the [[GBU-38]] [[JDAM]].
The {{nowrap|Mk82}} is the warhead for the [[GBU-12]] laser-guided bombs and for the [[GBU-38]] JDAM.


Currently only the [[General Dynamics]] plant in [[Garland, Texas]] and [[Nitro-Chem]] in [[Bydgoszcz]], [[Poland]] is Department of Defense-certified to [[manufacture]] bombs for the US Armed Forces.
Currently only the [[General Dynamics]] plant in [[Garland, Texas]] and [[Nitro-Chem]] in [[Bydgoszcz]], [[Poland]] are Department of Defense-certified to [[manufacture]] bombs for the US Armed Forces.{{cn|date=June 2021}}


The Mk 82 is currently undergoing a minor redesign to allow it to meet the [[insensitive munitions]] requirements set by Congress.
The {{nowrap|Mk82}} is currently undergoing a minor redesign to allow it to meet the [[insensitive munitions]] requirements set by Congress.


[[File:Mk. 81 250-lb and Mk. 82 Snakeye I 500-lb.jpg|thumb|Mk. 82 bomb with a Snake Eye [[bomb retarder|Tail Retarding Device]] – this photograph shows an unfuzed, [http://www.bookdoctor.com/images/mk_82_bomb.jpg museum display Mk 82] with its usual combat paint scheme. For display purposes, the optional high-drag Snake Eye tailfin set used for low-altitude release is shown.]]
[[File:Mk. 81 250-lb and Mk. 82 Snakeye I 500-lb.jpg|thumb|Mk. 82 bomb with a Snake Eye [[bomb retarder|Tail Retarding Device]] – this photograph shows an unfuzed, museum display {{nowrap|Mk82}} with its usual combat paint scheme. For display purposes, the optional high-drag Snake Eye tailfin set used for low-altitude release is shown.]]


According to a test report conducted by the [[United States Navy]]'s [[Weapon System Safety|Weapon System Explosives Safety Review Board]] established in the wake of the [[1967 USS Forrestal fire]], the [[cooking off]] time for a Mk 82 is approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds.
According to a test report conducted by the [[United States Navy]]'s [[Weapon Systems Explosives Safety Review Board]] established in the wake of the [[1967 USS Forrestal fire]], the [[cooking off]] time for a {{nowrap|Mk82}} is approximately {{nowrap|2 minutes}} {{nowrap|30 seconds}}.


More than 4,500 GBU-12/Mk 82 laser-guided bombs were dropped on Iraq during the [[Persian Gulf War]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Friedman, Norman|title=The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapons systems, 1997–1998|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1997|isbn=978-1-55750-268-1|page=249|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l-DzknmTgDUC&pg=PA249}}</ref> France requested 1,200 Mk 82s in 2010 to Société des Ateliers Mécaniques de Pont-sur-Sambre (SAMP) which builds Mk 82s under licence.<ref name=France2010>{{Cite web | url=http://www.defense.gouv.fr/dga/actualite-dga/2009/la-dga-notifie-l-achat-de-1-200-corps-de-bombes-de-type-mk82 | title=La DGA notifie l'achat de 1 200 corps de bombes de type Mk82 | language=fr | publisher=Government of France | date=28 June 2010 | access-date=2016-08-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916235653/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/dga/actualite-dga/2009/la-dga-notifie-l-achat-de-1-200-corps-de-bombes-de-type-mk82 | archive-date=16 September 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> Saudi Arabia requested 8,000 Mk 82s in 2015, along with guidance kits and other weapons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-11-20/saudis-request-huge-resupply-us-air-ground-weapons|title=Saudis Request Huge Resupply of U.S. Air-To-Ground Weapons|work=Aviation International News|access-date=2015-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122171650/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-11-20/saudis-request-huge-resupply-us-air-ground-weapons|archive-date=2015-11-22|url-status=live}}</ref>
More than 4,500 {{nowrap|GBU-12/Mk82}} laser-guided bombs were dropped on Iraq during the [[Persian Gulf War]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Friedman, Norman|title=The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapons systems, 1997–1998|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1997|isbn=978-1-55750-268-1|page=249|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l-DzknmTgDUC&pg=PA249}}</ref> France requested 1,200 {{nowrap|Mk82s}} in 2010 to Société des Ateliers Mécaniques de Pont-sur-Sambre (SAMP) which builds {{nowrap|Mk82s}} under license.<ref name=France2010>{{Cite web | url=http://www.defense.gouv.fr/dga/actualite-dga/2009/la-dga-notifie-l-achat-de-1-200-corps-de-bombes-de-type-mk82 | title=La DGA notifie l'achat de 1 200 corps de bombes de type Mk82 | language=fr | publisher=Government of France | date=28 June 2010 | access-date=2016-08-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916235653/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/dga/actualite-dga/2009/la-dga-notifie-l-achat-de-1-200-corps-de-bombes-de-type-mk82 | archive-date=16 September 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref> Saudi Arabia requested 8,000 {{nowrap|Mk82s}} in 2015, along with guidance kits and other weapons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-11-20/saudis-request-huge-resupply-us-air-ground-weapons|title=Saudis Request Huge Resupply of U.S. Air-To-Ground Weapons|work=Aviation International News|access-date=2015-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122171650/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-11-20/saudis-request-huge-resupply-us-air-ground-weapons|archive-date=2015-11-22|url-status=live}}</ref>


In August, 2018, a Mark 82 bomb was used for the [[Dahyan air strike]]. Munitions experts confirmed that the numbers on it identified Lockheed Martin as its maker and that this particular Mk82 was a Paveway, a laser-guided bomb.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/17/middleeast/us-saudi-yemen-bus-strike-intl/index.html|title=Bomb that killed 40 children in Yemen was supplied by US|author1=Nima Elbagir |author2=Salma Abdelaziz |author3=Ryan Browne |author4=Barbara Arvanitidis |author5=Laura Smith-Spark|work=CNN|access-date=2018-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818040221/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/17/middleeast/us-saudi-yemen-bus-strike-intl/index.html|archive-date=2018-08-18|url-status=live}}</ref>
⚫
== Low-level delivery ==
⚫
In low-level bombing, it is possible for the delivering aircraft to sustain damage from the blast and fragmentation effects of its own munitions since the aircraft and ordnance arrive at the target almost simultaneously. To address this issue, the standard Mk 82 General-Purpose bomb can be fitted with a special high-drag tail fin unit. In this configuration, it is referred to as the Mk 82 Snakeye.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ordnance.org/gpb.htm |title=Bombs and components |publisher=www.ordnance.org/gpb.htm |access-date=2008-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202181847/http://ordnance.org/gpb.htm |archive-date=1998-12-02 |url-status=live }}</ref>


Along with the heavier Mark 84 bombs, Mark 82 bombs were also supplied for the [[Israel-Hamas war]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-has-signed-off-more-bombs-warplanes-israel-washington-post-reports-2024-03-29/ |title=US has agreed to send more bombs and warplanes to Israel, sources say |date=29 March 2024 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=www.reuters.com |quote=The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, said the sources, who confirmed a report in the Washington Post.}}</ref>
The tail unit has four folded fins which spring open into a cruciform shape when the bomb is released. The fins increase the drag of the bomb, slowing its forward progress and allowing the delivery aircraft to safely pass over the target before the bomb explodes.

⚫
== Low-level delivery ==
⚫
In low-level bombing, it is possible for the delivering aircraft to sustain damage from the blast and fragmentation effects of its own munitions since the aircraft and ordnance arrive at the target almost simultaneously. To address this issue, the standard {{nowrap|Mk82}} General-Purpose bomb can be fitted with a special high-drag tail fin unit. In this configuration, it is referred to as the {{nowrap|Mk82}} Snake Eye.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ordnance.org/gpb.htm |title=Bombs and components |publisher=www.ordnance.org/gpb.htm |access-date=2008-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202181847/http://ordnance.org/gpb.htm |archive-date=1998-12-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> The tail unit has four folded fins that spring open into a [[cruciform]] shape when the bomb is released, slowing the bomb by increasing drag, thus allowing the delivery aircraft to safely pass over the target before the bomb hits it.


== Variants ==
== Variants ==
* '''BLU-111/B''' – Mk 82 casing filled with [[polymer bonded explosive|PBXN-109]] (instead of [[Composition H6]]); item weighs 218 kg (480&nbsp;lbs).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Glossary.htm|title= China Lake, Naval Warfare Center|publisher= www.chinalakealumni.org|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070203040906/http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Glossary.htm|archive-date= 2007-02-03|url-status= live}}</ref> PBXN-109 is a less sensitive explosive filler when compared to H6.<ref name= fact>{{cite web|url= http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-111.htm|title= BLU-111/B|publisher= Federation of American Scientists|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061213004148/http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-111.htm|archive-date= 2006-12-13|url-status= live}}</ref> The BLU-111/B also is the warhead of the A-1 version of the [[Joint Stand-Off Weapon]].
* '''BLU-111/B''' – {{nowrap|Mk82}} casing filled with [[polymer bonded explosive|PBXN-109]] (instead of [[Composition H6]]); item weighs {{cvt|218|kg|lb|order=flip}}.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Glossary.htm|title= China Lake, Naval Warfare Center|publisher= www.chinalakealumni.org|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070203040906/http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Glossary.htm|archive-date= 2007-02-03|url-status= live}}</ref> PBXN-109 is a less sensitive explosive filler when compared to H6.<ref name= fact>{{cite web|url= http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-111.htm|title= BLU-111/B|publisher= Federation of American Scientists|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061213004148/http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu-111.htm|archive-date= 2006-12-13|url-status= live}}</ref> The BLU-111/B also is the warhead of the A-1 version of the [[Joint Stand-Off Weapon]].
* '''BLU-111A/B''' – Used by the U.S. Navy,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-b.html#_BLU|title= Equipment Listing|publisher= www.designation-systems.net|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070204002314/http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-b.html#_BLU|archive-date= 2007-02-04|url-status= live}}</ref> this is the BLU-111/B with a thermal-protective coating added<ref name= fact /> to reduce cook-off in (fuel-related) fires.
* '''BLU-111A/B''' – Used by the U.S. Navy,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-b.html#_BLU|title= Equipment Listing|publisher= www.designation-systems.net|access-date= 2007-03-01|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070204002314/http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/asetds/u-b.html#_BLU|archive-date= 2007-02-04|url-status= live}}</ref> this is the BLU-111/B with a thermal-protective coating added<ref name= fact /> to reduce cook-off in (fuel-related) fires.
* '''BLU-126/B''' – Designed following a U.S. Navy request to lower collateral damage in air strikes. Delivery of this type started in March 2007. Also known as the Low Collateral Damage Bomb (LCDB), it is a BLU-111 with a smaller explosive charge. Inert ballast is added to match the original weight of the BLU-111, which gives it the same trajectory when dropped.<ref>Little Bang – p.38, Aviation Week & Space Technology-January 29, 2007</ref>
* '''BLU-126/B''' – Designed following a U.S. Navy request to lower collateral damage in air strikes. Delivery of this type started in March 2007. Also known as the Low Collateral Damage Bomb (LCDB), it is a BLU-111 with a smaller explosive charge. Inert ballast is added to match the original weight of the BLU-111, which gives it the same trajectory when dropped.<ref>Little Bang – p.38, Aviation Week & Space Technology-January 29, 2007</ref>
* '''BLU-129/B''' – U.S. Air Force Mark 82 version with a composite warhead case which disintegrates upon detonation to minimize fragmentation, decreasing damage to nearby structures and reducing the chances of collateral damage.<ref>[http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123285609 Precision Lethality Responds to Urgent Operational Need] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418084139/http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123285609 |date=2015-04-18 }} – AF.mil, 9 January 2015</ref> The carbon fiber composite shell achieves three-times less collateral damage by keeping the blast radius tight, while the tungsten-laden case high explosive has greater lethality in that blast radius. Entered service in 2011 with some 800 units produced until early 2015. USAF is looking to restart production for domestic and international consumption.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usafs-ultra-lethal-carbon-fibre-bomb-approved-for-export-414130/ USAF’s ultra-lethal carbon fibre bomb approved for export] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703205910/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usafs-ultra-lethal-carbon-fibre-bomb-approved-for-export-414130/ |date=2015-07-03 }} – Flightglobal.com, 29 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.copybook.com/military/news/usaf-has-carbon-fibre-bomb-export-hopes USAF Has Carbon Fibre Bomb Export Hopes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712015646/http://www.copybook.com/military/news/usaf-has-carbon-fibre-bomb-export-hopes |date=2015-07-12 }} – Copybook.com/Military, 2 July 2015</ref>
* '''BLU-129/B''' – U.S. Air Force Mark 82 version with a composite warhead case that disintegrates upon detonation to minimize fragmentation, decreasing damage to nearby structures and reducing the chances of collateral damage.<ref>[http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123285609 Precision Lethality Responds to Urgent Operational Need] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418084139/http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123285609 |date=2015-04-18 }} – AF.mil, 9 January 2015</ref> The carbon fiber composite shell achieves three-times less collateral damage by keeping the blast radius tight, while the tungsten-laden case high explosive has greater lethality in that blast radius. Entered service in 2011 with some 800 units produced until early 2015. USAF is looking to restart production for domestic and international consumption.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usafs-ultra-lethal-carbon-fibre-bomb-approved-for-export-414130/ USAF’s ultra-lethal carbon fibre bomb approved for export] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703205910/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usafs-ultra-lethal-carbon-fibre-bomb-approved-for-export-414130/ |date=2015-07-03 }} – Flightglobal.com, 29 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.copybook.com/military/news/usaf-has-carbon-fibre-bomb-export-hopes USAF Has Carbon Fibre Bomb Export Hopes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712015646/http://www.copybook.com/military/news/usaf-has-carbon-fibre-bomb-export-hopes |date=2015-07-12 }} – Copybook.com/Military, 2 July 2015</ref>
* '''Mark 62 Quickstrike mine''' – A [[naval mine]], which is a conversion of the Mark 82 bomb.<ref>Jenkins, Dennis R. ''B-1 Lancer, The Most Complicated Warplane Ever Developed'', p. 159. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. {{ISBN|0-07-134694-5}}.</ref>
* '''Mark 62 Quickstrike mine''' – A [[naval mine]], which is a conversion of the Mark 82 bomb.<ref>Jenkins, Dennis R. ''B-1 Lancer, The Most Complicated Warplane Ever Developed'', p. 159. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. {{ISBN|0-07-134694-5}}.</ref>
* '''Mark 82 Mod 7''' – Near-term solution for [[cluster bomb]] replacement that replaces the forged steel casing with a unitary "cast ductile iron" warhead and reconfigured burst height and [[fuze]] locations, dispersing iron fragmentation over a large area to fulfill area-attack requirements with less chance of unexploded ordnance. To enter service by 2018.<ref>[https://medium.com/war-is-boring/air-force-replaces-cluster-bombs-with-something-slightly-less-likely-to-kill-civilians-be94942adb97 Air Force Replaces Cluster Bombs With Something Slightly Less Likely to Kill Civilians] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623141842/https://medium.com/war-is-boring/air-force-replaces-cluster-bombs-with-something-slightly-less-likely-to-kill-civilians-be94942adb97 |date=2015-06-23 }} – Medium.com/War-is-Boring, 12 October 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-moving-past-cluster-munitions-calcm-cruise-missile-413090/ USAF moving past cluster munitions, CALCM cruise missile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610041514/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-moving-past-cluster-munitions-calcm-cruise-missile-413090/ |date=2015-06-10 }} – Flightglobal.com, 4 June 2015</ref>
* '''Mark 82 Mod 7''' – Near-term solution for [[cluster bomb]] replacement that replaces the forged steel casing with a unitary "cast ductile iron" warhead and reconfigured burst height and [[fuze]] locations, dispersing iron fragmentation over a large area to fulfill area-attack requirements with less chance of unexploded ordnance. To enter service by 2018.<ref>[https://medium.com/war-is-boring/air-force-replaces-cluster-bombs-with-something-slightly-less-likely-to-kill-civilians-be94942adb97 Air Force Replaces Cluster Bombs With Something Slightly Less Likely to Kill Civilians] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623141842/https://medium.com/war-is-boring/air-force-replaces-cluster-bombs-with-something-slightly-less-likely-to-kill-civilians-be94942adb97 |date=2015-06-23 }} – Medium.com/War-is-Boring, 12 October 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-moving-past-cluster-munitions-calcm-cruise-missile-413090/ USAF moving past cluster munitions, CALCM cruise missile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610041514/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-moving-past-cluster-munitions-calcm-cruise-missile-413090/ |date=2015-06-10 }} – Flightglobal.com, 4 June 2015</ref>
* '''MK82-T(Tendürek)''' –Turkish variant of MK82 with a thermobaric warhead, can be fitted with locally produced HGK, LGK and KGK guidance kits.
* '''MK82-T (Tendürek)''' –Turkish variant of {{nowrap|Mk82}} with a thermobaric warhead, can be fitted with locally produced HGK, LGK, and KGK guidance kits.


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 77: Line 73:
* [[Paveway IV]]
* [[Paveway IV]]
* [[Armement Air-Sol Modulaire]]
* [[Armement Air-Sol Modulaire]]
* [[General-purpose bomb#Soviet / Russian GP bombs|FAB-250]] – Soviet counterpart
* [[FAB-250]] – Soviet counterpart


== References ==
== References ==
Line 91: Line 87:
[[Category:Cold War aerial bombs of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War aerial bombs of the United States]]
[[Category:Aerial bombs of the United States]]
[[Category:Aerial bombs of the United States]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s]]

Latest revision as of 17:45, 23 April 2024

Mark 82 General Purpose bomb
TypeLow-drag general-purpose bomb
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In serviceSince 1950s
Production history
ManufacturerGeneral Dynamics
Unit costUS$4,000
Variants
Specifications
Mass531 lb (241 kg)
Length7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Diameter10.7 in (273 mm)
FillingTritonal, Comp H-6 or PBXN-109
Filling weight196 lb (89 kg)
ReferencesJanes[1][2][3][4][5] & The War Zone[6]

The Mark 82 is a 500-pound (230 kg) unguided, low-drag general-purpose bomb, part of the United States Mark 80 series. The explosive filling is usually tritonal, though other compositions have sometimes been used.

Development and deployment[edit]

A B-2 Spirit dropping Mk82 bombs into the Pacific Ocean in a 1994 training exercise off Point Mugu, California.

With a nominal weight of 500 lb (230 kg), it is one of the smallest bombs in current service, and one of the most common air-dropped weapons in the world. Although the Mk82's nominal weight is 500 lb (230 kg), its actual weight varies depending on its configuration, from 510 to 570 lb (230 to 260 kg). It is a streamlined steel casing containing 192 lb (87 kg) of Tritonal high explosive. The Mk82 is offered with a variety of fin kits, fuzes, and retarders for different purposes.

The Mk82 is the warhead for the GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and for the GBU-38 JDAM.

Currently only the General Dynamics plant in Garland, Texas and Nitro-Chem in Bydgoszcz, Poland are Department of Defense-certified to manufacture bombs for the US Armed Forces.[citation needed]

The Mk82 is currently undergoing a minor redesign to allow it to meet the insensitive munitions requirements set by Congress.

Mk. 82 bomb with a Snake Eye Tail Retarding Device – this photograph shows an unfuzed, museum display Mk82 with its usual combat paint scheme. For display purposes, the optional high-drag Snake Eye tailfin set used for low-altitude release is shown.

According to a test report conducted by the United States Navy's Weapon Systems Explosives Safety Review Board established in the wake of the 1967 USS Forrestal fire, the cooking off time for a Mk82 is approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds.

More than 4,500 GBU-12/Mk82 laser-guided bombs were dropped on Iraq during the Persian Gulf War.[7] France requested 1,200 Mk82s in 2010 to Société des Ateliers Mécaniques de Pont-sur-Sambre (SAMP) which builds Mk82s under license.[8] Saudi Arabia requested 8,000 Mk82s in 2015, along with guidance kits and other weapons.[9]

In August, 2018, a Mark 82 bomb was used for the Dahyan air strike. Munitions experts confirmed that the numbers on it identified Lockheed Martin as its maker and that this particular Mk82 was a Paveway, a laser-guided bomb.[10]

Along with the heavier Mark 84 bombs, Mark 82 bombs were also supplied for the Israel-Hamas war.[11]

Low-level delivery[edit]

In low-level bombing, it is possible for the delivering aircraft to sustain damage from the blast and fragmentation effects of its own munitions since the aircraft and ordnance arrive at the target almost simultaneously. To address this issue, the standard Mk82 General-Purpose bomb can be fitted with a special high-drag tail fin unit. In this configuration, it is referred to as the Mk82 Snake Eye.[12] The tail unit has four folded fins that spring open into a cruciform shape when the bomb is released, slowing the bomb by increasing drag, thus allowing the delivery aircraft to safely pass over the target before the bomb hits it.

Variants[edit]

  • BLU-111/B – Mk82 casing filled with PBXN-109 (instead of Composition H6); item weighs 481 lb (218 kg).[13] PBXN-109 is a less sensitive explosive filler when compared to H6.[14] The BLU-111/B also is the warhead of the A-1 version of the Joint Stand-Off Weapon.
  • BLU-111A/B – Used by the U.S. Navy,[15] this is the BLU-111/B with a thermal-protective coating added[14] to reduce cook-off in (fuel-related) fires.
  • BLU-126/B – Designed following a U.S. Navy request to lower collateral damage in air strikes. Delivery of this type started in March 2007. Also known as the Low Collateral Damage Bomb (LCDB), it is a BLU-111 with a smaller explosive charge. Inert ballast is added to match the original weight of the BLU-111, which gives it the same trajectory when dropped.[16]
  • BLU-129/B – U.S. Air Force Mark 82 version with a composite warhead case that disintegrates upon detonation to minimize fragmentation, decreasing damage to nearby structures and reducing the chances of collateral damage.[17] The carbon fiber composite shell achieves three-times less collateral damage by keeping the blast radius tight, while the tungsten-laden case high explosive has greater lethality in that blast radius. Entered service in 2011 with some 800 units produced until early 2015. USAF is looking to restart production for domestic and international consumption.[18][19]
  • Mark 62 Quickstrike mine – A naval mine, which is a conversion of the Mark 82 bomb.[20]
  • Mark 82 Mod 7 – Near-term solution for cluster bomb replacement that replaces the forged steel casing with a unitary "cast ductile iron" warhead and reconfigured burst height and fuze locations, dispersing iron fragmentation over a large area to fulfill area-attack requirements with less chance of unexploded ordnance. To enter service by 2018.[21][22]
  • MK82-T (Tendürek) –Turkish variant of Mk82 with a thermobaric warhead, can be fitted with locally produced HGK, LGK, and KGK guidance kits.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Janes (26 July 2022), "Mk 80 general‐purpose bombs (BLU‐110/111/117/126/129)", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 29 May 2023
  2. ^ Janes (1 June 2023), "GBU-10/12/16/58 Paveway II", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 2 June 2023
  3. ^ Janes (1 December 2022), "GBU‐22, GBU‐24, GBU‐27 Paveway III, and Enhanced Paveway III", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 2 June 2023
  4. ^ Janes (1 June 2023), "GBU‐31/32/38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 2 June 2023
  5. ^ Janes (4 August 2021), "Paveway IV (PGB)", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 2 June 2023
  6. ^ Newdick, Thimas; Rogoway, Tyler (15 December 2022). "What Joint Direct Attack Munitions could do for Ukraine". The War Zone. Miami, New York & San Francisco: Recurrent Ventures. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  7. ^ Friedman, Norman (1997). The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapons systems, 1997–1998. Naval Institute Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-55750-268-1.
  8. ^ "La DGA notifie l'achat de 1 200 corps de bombes de type Mk82" (in French). Government of France. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  9. ^ "Saudis Request Huge Resupply of U.S. Air-To-Ground Weapons". Aviation International News. Archived from the original on 2015-11-22. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  10. ^ Nima Elbagir; Salma Abdelaziz; Ryan Browne; Barbara Arvanitidis; Laura Smith-Spark. "Bomb that killed 40 children in Yemen was supplied by US". CNN. Archived from the original on 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  11. ^ "US has agreed to send more bombs and warplanes to Israel, sources say". www.reuters.com. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024. The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, said the sources, who confirmed a report in the Washington Post.
  12. ^ "Bombs and components". www.ordnance.org/gpb.htm. Archived from the original on 1998-12-02. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  13. ^ "China Lake, Naval Warfare Center". www.chinalakealumni.org. Archived from the original on 2007-02-03. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  14. ^ a b "BLU-111/B". Federation of American Scientists. Archived from the original on 2006-12-13. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  15. ^ "Equipment Listing". www.designation-systems.net. Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  16. ^ Little Bang – p.38, Aviation Week & Space Technology-January 29, 2007
  17. ^ Precision Lethality Responds to Urgent Operational Need Archived 2015-04-18 at the Wayback Machine – AF.mil, 9 January 2015
  18. ^ USAF’s ultra-lethal carbon fibre bomb approved for export Archived 2015-07-03 at the Wayback Machine – Flightglobal.com, 29 June 2015
  19. ^ USAF Has Carbon Fibre Bomb Export Hopes Archived 2015-07-12 at the Wayback Machine – Copybook.com/Military, 2 July 2015
  20. ^ Jenkins, Dennis R. B-1 Lancer, The Most Complicated Warplane Ever Developed, p. 159. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. ISBN 0-07-134694-5.
  21. ^ Air Force Replaces Cluster Bombs With Something Slightly Less Likely to Kill Civilians Archived 2015-06-23 at the Wayback Machine – Medium.com/War-is-Boring, 12 October 2014
  22. ^ USAF moving past cluster munitions, CALCM cruise missile Archived 2015-06-10 at the Wayback Machine – Flightglobal.com, 4 June 2015

External links[edit]

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