Daisy cutter

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Daisy cutter


A BLU-82B in a US Air Force exhibit

General Information
Designation: BLU-82B Commando Vault
Type: Aerial bomb
Country of origin: United StatesUnited States United States
Manufacturer: Sandia National Laboratories
Development: 1968
Commissioning: 1970
Working time: 1970-2008
Unit price: around 20,000 euros
Technical specifications
Combat weight: 6803 kg
Charge: 5715 kg of emulsion explosives
Length: 3.35 m
Diameter: 1.37 m
Detonator: Impact fuse
Lists on the subject

The BLU-82B , also known as the Commando Vault or Daisy Cutter ( English for " daisy cutter "), is one of the most powerful conventional aerial bombs in the world. It has a length of 3.35 meters and a diameter of 1.37 meters. On the side facing the ground there is a 96 centimeter long rod-shaped percussion fuse . The weight is 6,803 kg, 5715 kg of which the explosive charge of the emulsion explosive GSX ( G tasselled S Lurry e X plosive; dt as "gelled slurry type explosives.") Omitted. This explosive is a mixture of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder , which, due to the addition of water and polystyrene as a thickener, has a muddy consistency and is very safe to handle. The unit costs are put at around 20,000 euros.

Due to their huge size the bomb can only of transport aircraft of type Lockheed C-130 Hercules in the embodiment MC-130 Combat Talon be dropped. Because these transport aircraft are relatively vulnerable in comparison to bombers without prior protection of the drop zone, their offensive use in early phases of conflicts without air superiority is only possible to a limited extent.

history

The BLU-82B was developed by the USA in the early 1960s to create clearings in forest areas for heliports and artillery positions , as they were needed at the time, especially in the war in Vietnam and Laos . At that time it was known as "Commando Vault" or "Big Blue 82". During the Second Gulf War , it was used with some success to detonate minefields or to shut down command posts.

Other areas of operation were the war in Afghanistan and the Third Gulf War .

On July 15, 2008, the last operational bomb of this type was dropped on the Utah Test and Training Range .

Originally it was assumed that this bomb was an aerosol bomb - also known as a vacuum bomb ( fuel air explosive , FAE ). However, this concept would be extremely unsuitable for the original purpose of this weapon system, the creation of usable clearings in forests, and a fairly even distribution of such a large amount of explosives as an aerosol would be extremely difficult even under ideal conditions (calm). Nevertheless, the BLU-82B is still incorrectly referred to as an aerosol bomb in numerous media reports.

effect

BLU-82 during a test drop on the Utah Test and Training Range

The bomb is dropped from a height of at least 1,800 meters due to the pressure wave of the explosion and detonated shortly before impact due to its detonator sticking out . Since it has no control surfaces, a small parachute is used for stabilization during the launch . The pressure wave generated by the detonation pushes all vegetation and living beings aside and leaves almost no crater . At the zero point of the explosion, the bomb generates a pressure of approximately 1000 psi (corresponding to 70,000  hPa or 70 bar). On flat ground, the resulting pressure wave has an effective range of 100 to 200 meters (pressure surge greater than 150 to 350 hPa), but natural or artificial obstacles can significantly lower it. Apart from the pressure wave, however, the bomb has hardly any effect; it is also only partially effective against armored or buried targets.

Reports that the Daisy Cutter sucked up the oxygen in the vicinity of the explosion point are not accurate because the bomb's explosive already contains the oxidant necessary for the explosion . There is also no evidence of an extreme heat effect in the explosion; both theories are probably due to confusion with aerosol bombs.

Calls

In December 2001, the bomb was used by US forces in Afghanistan in the Battle of Tora Bora after reports of an alleged sighting of high-ranking members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network , including Osama bin Laden . However, the operation did not result in the killing of Osama bin Laden.

See also

Web links

Commons : Daisy Cutter  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ USAF: Duke field airmen drop last 15,000 pound bomb. Retrieved November 10, 2016 .
  2. ↑ Daisy cutter deployed after bin Laden sighting. The Daily Telegraph , December 10, 2001, accessed May 21, 2011 .