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Why Concrete Filled Bombs are So Damn Useful
strategy page ^ | October 7, 2005 | James Dunnigan

Posted on 10/08/2005 5:13:52 PM PDT by strategofr

One of the strangest, and most useful, bombs employed in Iraq has been the concrete filled JDAM. Why deliver a 500 pound bomb filled with concrete instead of explosives? You do that if you want to do some damage, but not a lot. Concrete JDAMs were first used in the 1990s to destroy anti-aircraft guns, radars and missiles that Saddam Hussein placed in residential areas.

He believed that the Americans would not attack these weapons, for fear of hurting nearby civilians. But it turned out that a laser, or satellite (JDAM) guided concrete smart bomb could take out the air-defense weapons without hurting nearby civilians. The concrete bombs come in various sizes (500, 1,000 and 2,000 pounds), but the new 500 pound JDAM has become a favorite when a concrete version is required.

Recently, for example, two small bridges near the Syrian border were seen being used by terrorists to bring in people and weapons. There was no need to completely destroy the bridges (which might take months, or longer, to replace), because the terrorists were slowly being chased from the area. But a concrete bomb on each bridge damaged the structures enough so that they could not be used, but not so much that they could not be repaired in a week or two.

Concrete bombs are still used against terrorist targets in residential areas, where the bomb can reach the terrorists before police or ground troops can. It’s all a case of a seemingly off-the-wall weapon idea being, not a joke, but actually quite useful.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: aftermathanalysis; bombs; concrete; concretebombs; iraq; jdam; oif
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Surprising.
1 posted on 10/08/2005 5:13:53 PM PDT by strategofr
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To: strategofr

Wait till you find out about the asphalt bomb.

No, no, it's tooo horrible, I can't tell you, the very
thought makes me ill.


2 posted on 10/08/2005 5:18:17 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: strategofr

Gives a whole new meaning to the term "getting plastered".


3 posted on 10/08/2005 5:18:18 PM PDT by Ben Mugged
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To: strategofr

I vote for a bacon grease bomb, with pork rind shrapnel.


4 posted on 10/08/2005 5:20:25 PM PDT by Dumpster Baby ("Hope somebody finds me before the rats do .....")
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To: strategofr

I'm still partial to the idea of a MOOREDAM screaming in from about 30,000 feet.


5 posted on 10/08/2005 5:22:11 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: strategofr

Any way one of these things would be accurate and maneuverable enough to be dropped on Mugabe's head?


6 posted on 10/08/2005 5:22:28 PM PDT by supercat (Don't fix blame--FIX THE PROBLEM.)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: Dumpster Baby
I vote for a bacon grease bomb, with pork rind shrapnel.

Now you're talking! I hope DARPA is on it right now....

8 posted on 10/08/2005 5:29:22 PM PDT by expatpat
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To: tet68

or a real funny bomb as use in NAM on the HM trail


9 posted on 10/08/2005 5:29:40 PM PDT by ralph rotten
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To: strategofr
Did Dunnigan post this on strategypage today? It was there about a month ago. If he's getting senile I need to kid him about it! ;-)
10 posted on 10/08/2005 5:31:50 PM PDT by HoustonCurmudgeon (Houston - Showing New Orleans how it's done.)
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: strategofr
I believe this technology is called the "Fred Flinstone" .... as old as war itself... just get a big rock and thump it on the top of whatever you want to kill....roflmao... i love it.

I'd like to see the "low bidder" on this contract...

er... well it takes 500 lbs of "Quick-rete" and uh... you pack it into this metal tube with a couple of fins and GPS..

+ +

=

12 posted on 10/08/2005 5:42:28 PM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: strategofr

Hope the bombs were smothered in lard and then dropped.


14 posted on 10/08/2005 5:48:15 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: Dumpster Baby

"I vote for a bacon grease bomb, with pork rind shrapnel."

Id like to see a MOAB version of that being used.


15 posted on 10/08/2005 5:51:39 PM PDT by DogBarkTree
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To: strategofr
There was no need to completely destroy the bridges (which might take months, or longer, to replace), because the terrorists were slowly being chased from the area

I just hate the idea of a bunch of terrorists only getting scared instead of dead. Real bombs leading to the approaches, cluster munitions, GATOR mine dispensers, napalm if we still had it.

16 posted on 10/08/2005 5:56:12 PM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: tet68
Image hosted by Photobucket.com tooo funny... 8^)
17 posted on 10/08/2005 5:59:10 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: strategofr

Great. Like lobbing a $1.5M rock.


18 posted on 10/08/2005 6:03:58 PM PDT by manwiththehands
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To: strategofr


I absolutely LOVE this title!!!


19 posted on 10/08/2005 6:20:55 PM PDT by msnimje (If you suspect this post might need a sarcasm tag..... it does!)
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To: lilylangtree
Hope the bombs were smothered in lard and then dropped.

Agreed. My father always used to say you should strap a pig to every single bomb dropped just for "good measure."

20 posted on 10/08/2005 6:23:33 PM PDT by msnimje (If you suspect this post might need a sarcasm tag..... it does!)
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