CBU-55
| CBU-55 | |
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| General Information | |
| Designation: | CBU-55 |
| Type: | Cluster bomb |
| Country of origin: |
 United States
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| Manufacturer: | Honeywell & NWC |
| Development: | 1970 |
| Commissioning: | 1975 |
| Working time: | 1975-1991 |
| Unit price: | $ 3,800 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Combat weight: | 235 kg |
| Charge: | 3 × aerosol bombs BLU-73 |
| Length: | 2.17 m |
| Diameter: | 356 mm |
| Detonator: | Mk. 339 later FMU-83 |
| Lists on the subject | |
The CBU-55 is a US cluster bomb that contains three small aerosol bombs.
description
The CBU-55 was developed from 1970 by Honeywell in cooperation with the Naval Weapons Center China Lake . At the beginning of 1975 the first copies were delivered to the US armed forces. The CBU-55 cluster bomb can be dropped from airplanes and helicopters. The bomb is suitable for fighting vehicles, materials, buildings and field fortifications. The CBU-55 can also be used to clear large minefields. After the Second Gulf War in 1991, the remaining bombs were sorted out and demilitarized from 1996 onwards .
function
The CBU 55 is provided with three BLU-73 - Aerosol loaded -Kleinbomben. The small bomb has a cylindrical body. This is 69.6 cm long, has a diameter of 34.5 cm and weighs 59 kg. The small bomb contains 33 kg of ethylene oxide as an aerosol substance (active charge) . After being dropped from an airplane or helicopter, the FMU-83 detonator detonates the bomb skin after a preset time and the three BLU-73 small bombs are ejected from the bomb body. Your fall is stabilized and slowed down by a parachute . The dismantling charge is activated around 9 m above ground by a proximity fuse. This generates an aerosol cloud from the ethylene oxide with a diameter of around 15 m and a height of 3 to 5 m. At the same time, the 1.22 m long stick -shaped FMU-95 distance fuse is deployed on the small bomb . As soon as it comes into contact with the ground, the aerosol cloud is detonated . This creates a fireball with a temperature of over 2,600 degrees Celsius and an overpressure of 18 to 20 bar . The initial speed of the pressure wave is around 1,800 m / s. If the aerosol cloud does not detonate, the target area will be contaminated by the toxic ethylene oxide .
variants
- CBU-55 with litter bin SUU-49 / B for use from slow-flying aircraft and helicopters
- CBU-72 with spreader box SUU-49A / B for use in fast-flying aircraft
commitment
The CBU-55 and CBU-72 were used during the Vietnam War , the US invasion of Grenada and the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq. During this conflict, 254 CBU-72s were dropped from United States Navy aircraft . The Israeli Air Force deployed the CBU-72 during the 1982 Lebanon War .
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Duncan Lennox: Jane's Air Launched Weapons Systems Edition 2003. Jane's Information Group .
- ↑ Flixborough goes bomb in Vietnam New Scientist Volume 1 May 1975; at Google Books, accessed May 30, 2013
- ↑ a b CBU-72 / BLU-73 / B Fuel / Air Explosive (FAE) Globalsecurity.org, accessed May 30, 2013
- ↑ a b BAK to BSU / BSG - Equipment Listing Designation-Systems.net, accessed May 30, 2013
- ↑ Fuel Air Explosive Systems (FAE), Technical Note 09.30 / 04 , International Mine Action Standards
- ↑ ОДАБ-500ПМ, объемно-детонирующая авиационная бомба ( Memento of February 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Arms-expo.ru, accessed June 6, 2013