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From: cmf258@cck.cov.ac.uk (J. Mellor)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Tank killing crowbars
Message-ID: <1991Feb12.020908.12118@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 12 Feb 91 02:09:08 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Coventry Polytechnic, Coventry, UK
Lines: 27
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: cmf258@cck.cov.ac.uk (J. Mellor)

	One of my house mates has just finished reading 'footfall'
by Niven and Pournelle.  Since he hasn't any access to the net he's
asked me to post this request for him.

	It basically was an orbital device containing tens of 
thousands of depleted uranium or High Carbon Steel bars, these 'bars'
had elementary guidance (Just enough to recognise a tank) and were then
released from orbit to fall on those unfortunates below. These bars
would also be explosive so that they would explode on contact with a
hard object.

[mod.note: Sounds like "Project Thor."  It was one of Jerry Pournelle's
favorites.  - Bill ]

	Now his Question is, Would these 'bars' (Smart or Iron)  be of
any use against the Republican Guards if say dropped from 40-50000 Ft
	some engineering chappies worked out that they would(assuming 0
air resistance) fall about 400 m/sec and hit with the force of about
1000 KJ.
	His questions

	- How many could a B52 carry ?
	- How Effective would they be?