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.
The first time I heard of this (using a concrete bomb), I immediately thought of the Roadrunner and Wiley E. Coyote
> I'd like to see the "low bidder" on this contract...
Although the inert bomb might be substantially cheaper
than a live bomb, it also might not.
I suspect that initially, they just replaced the HE
with 'crete, and left everything else in place,
including the no-longer-needed fuzing system.
More recent bombs may omit the fuzing, but they must
have the precision guidance package, and that's not cheap
(compared to the cost of the empty shell). Inert bombs
are definitely cost effective compared to sending
precision ground teams to take out the same target.
Why not just strap a GPS and some guidance fins on a pig? Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a true believer like the thought of being sent to see Allah by a computer guided hamp.
With Appologies to the late B. Sadler
BALLAD OF THE UNCLEAN BERRETS
Falling Porkers from the Sky
It's a bad way to die
.......................
Pardon my ignorance, but can anyone tell me what happens on impact with a concrete bomb? They don't explode, so what do they do? Just shatter like a big rock?
Dunnigan needs to work on the update for Panzer Gruppe Guderian.
I just read this today, but, then again, I have been out of town.
Drop a rock, squash a bug.
I know a little bit about JDAM's and in my experience these dummy concrete ones were used for practice on the range. Interesting, you learn something new every day. I imagine these are being dropped mostly by B-52s?
Is there such a weapon as a precision guided, air-dropped, non-explosive spear? I once read a suggestion that such a device be used on enemy nuclear facilities.
Just too cool. Simple, but effective, I like.
smash....
"Did Dunnigan post this on strategypage today?"
date shown is correct.
Concrete bombs go way back to near WW2. Not used as weapons but for training purposes.
WARPLANE WEAPONS: Why Concrete Filled Bombs are Useful
Posted by John Jorsett On News/Activism 09/16/2005 3:15:27 PM CDT · 110 replies · 2,575+ views
Strategy Page ^ | September 15, 2005
One of the strangest, and most useful, bombs employed in Iraq has been the concrete filled smart bomb (laser guided or JDAM). Why deliver a 500 pound .........
How about getting stoned?
My entire childhood, and much of my adult career, have been shaped by the eternal conflict between Roadrunner and Wile E Coyote.
...and I'm not telling how many dollars I've spent on products from Acme Corp.
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