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From: JTW106@PSUVM.PSU.EDU (Jeff Wolfe)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Big Bombs in PG
Message-ID: <1991Feb18.055001.12249@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 18 Feb 91 05:50:01 GMT
References: <1991Feb15.065559.9255@cbnews.att.com>
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From: Jeff Wolfe <JTW106@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>

In article <1991Feb15.065559.9255@cbnews.att.com>, tohall@helios.lerc.nasa.gov
(Dave Hall (Sverdrup)) says:
>Saw this info in a local article:
>
>The U.S is using the largest bomb in the arsenal - the 15,000-pound
>"BLU-82" - in recent allied air attacks on Iraq as part of an intensified

 {... ...}

>        The bomb is dropped by transport planes because it cannot be fitted
>under any U.S. fighter or tactical bomber. A B-52 bomb bay would have to be
>extensively modified to accomodate the huge and rarely used weapon, so the
>bombs are loaded onto wheeled pallets and shoved out the rear cargo hatch of a
>C-130 transport.

   A blurb on CNN today confirmed this, and included footage of a large pallet
being yanked out of the tail end of a C-130 and falling on a 'chute'. It
appeared to explode into a large grey cloud, and then the grey cloud was
detonated. I assume that this was an FAE bomb?

   The same blurb on CNN had footage on smaller canisters being dropped from
pylons. the bomb would be released, fins would deploy, and the bomb would fall.
Approxamately 10-20 ft above ground, the whole thing "popped" like an upside
down firework, into a large grey cloud. Approx 5 - 10 secs. later the cloud
detonated into a pretty awesome fireball.

   Is the blast from a bomb like this in any way directional?
   Can you direct it?



  -- Jeff Wolfe
     JTW106@psuvm.psu.edu             Dalton, Pa.
     JTW106@psuvm.BITNET