Graphite bomb

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US military's graphite cluster bomb BLU-114 / B

A graphite bomb is a tactical weapon that is used to make electrical systems such as power plants , substations or overhead lines inoperable for a limited time due to short circuits . Large-scale power outages caused as a result disrupt the opposing civil infrastructure and economy or can paralyze them completely. Transmission systems for telecommunications and media can also be targeted in this way.

Since the bomb generally causes no or only very little collateral damage (the structure of the targets hit is not seriously damaged and people are not directly injured or killed), graphite bombs are comparatively human weapons of war ("soft bombs") .

Mode of action

The weapon is dropped from an airplane or brought to the target by means of a missile . A decomposing charge is ignited in the air above the target and the bomb releases a cloud of graphite in the form of dust or thin threads ( carbon fibers ). In contrast to an aerosol bomb , the graphite is not ignited , but the particle cloud sinks down to the target, where it is deposited on external devices and sometimes also penetrates internal system parts via the ventilation and cooling systems.

The harmful effect is due to the fact that the graphite with its high electrical conductivity even in small quantities in electrical equipment such as switchgear , transformers , motors , etc. a short circuit , possibly due to arcing caused, leading to a safety shutdown or damage to the unit.

Graphite is harmless to humans in low concentrations.

commitment

BLU-114 / B. NATO duds from the Kosovo war. Partially opened thread wrap. Board: "Mecca bomb" ... electrically conductive fibers ...

The US military first successfully used graphite cluster bombs in the second Gulf War in 1990/91 . Within a short period of time, 85% of Iraq's electricity supply was paralyzed.

The weapon with the type designation CBU-94 consists of a carrier container of the type SUU-66 / B , which is dropped from a bomber ( F-117 or similar) and which contains around 200 of the actual cluster bombs of the type BLU-114 / B ( see picture) . These cluster bombs, fitted with a mini-parachute, are about the size of a beverage can.

The same weapon was used by NATO in the 1999 Kosovo war against Serbia and Montenegro. Since the Yugoslav side repaired the electrical systems very quickly (within 1–2 days), NATO ultimately switched to permanently destroying power plants and overhead lines with conventional weapons.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ CBU-94 "Blackout Bomb" BLU-114 / B "Soft-Bomb" . In: FAS Military Analysis Network . May 7, 1999. Retrieved November 5, 2009. (In English).