USAF seeks out low-collateral damage Mk 82 bomb

Flight Global ^ | 7/1/2010 | Stephen Trimble

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The US Air Force could soon deploy a 226kg (500lb)-class guided bomb designed with a composite warhead to destroy targets while causing the least amount of collateral damage.

The first 50 Precision Lethality Mk 82 bombs could be delivered by January 2011, with up to 750 carbonfibre-wound warheads designated as BLU-129/B to follow.

The air force has issued a market survey seeking contractors that can deliver the composite warheads rapidly in response to an urgent request by Central Command, the US headquarters in the Middle East and parts of south Asia.

The Air Armament Center could award a contract as soon as August to build 125-175 warheads for a test programme, the survey says.

A "one-time production option" for 400-800 warheads could follow if the test programme is successful.

The air force also is buying a low-collateral damage version of the 130kg Boeing small diameter bomb called the full lethality munition.

Precision Lethality bombs would be nearly twice the size of the full lethality munition, but are still intended to minimise damage beyond a precise strike zone.

The new, composite BLU-129/B warheads would be installed in the Mk 82 bomb, which would be mated to a joint direct attack munition (JDAM) and laser JDAM guidance kits

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I need some information to grasp on.

[null and void]

Oh, and while we’re speculating...

Was the North Korean test of a nuclear weapon a failed test of an atomic bomb, or a successful test of a neutron bomb?

[Flag_This]

Make it out of NERF foam - that would be very “low-collateral.”

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

IMHO, it was just a leak of nuclear accident they probably had. There was no earthquake that is usually is a tell tale sign of a nuclear explosion.Everything you wanted to know on seismic verification of nuclear weapons are on these links.

https://str.llnl.gov/Mar09/walter.html
http://www.fas.org/ota/reports/8838.pdf

[null and void]

Here's a start

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

It says nothing about the MK-82

[NavyCanDo]

I have a bad lower back due to four years of lifting those Mk82s.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

They look heavy. How much do they weigh?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Ping

[null and void]

Try here

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

All it talks about is communications,satelllite and nuclear technolohy and nothing about the MK-82 being sold.

[null and void]

Ah.

Context:

sonofstrangelove ~ The Neutron Bomb is probably on of the great milestones in nuclear tactical weaponary.

nully ~ I imagine the Chinese are happy with the plans they got from us during the clinton administration.

I answered the question I thought you'd asked, the one seeking more information about Chinese theft of neutron bomb secrets from Los Alamos.

[null and void]

More context, I’m talking about the October 2006 bomb test, you’re talking about the xenon leak last week.

Am I right?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I am talking about the radioactive xenon that was detected last weel.

[null and void]

OK. I think we’ve synchronized our watches again...

[brityank]

Dig through our own Alamo-Girl's voluminous archives:

NY Times: 5/30/99 "... Since 1993, officials say, the Energy Department's "openness initiative" has released at least 178 categories of atom secrets. By contrast, the 1980s saw two such actions. The unveilings have included no details of specific weapons, like the W-88, a compact design Chinese spies are suspected of having stolen from the weapons lab at Los Alamos, N.M. But they include a slew of general secrets....."
US Intel/Technology Giveaways

Many thanks, AG!

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

They are talking about atomic weapons. The W-88 bomb is a nuclear warhead.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

We are talking about the MK-82 gravity bomb not nuclear warheads.

[Sender]

I like Norman’s Green Bomb. They could take it a step further by wrapping it with a layer of wildflower seeds; it both kills and beautifies the area.

[Mr. Lucky]

OK, now that’s funny.