Posted on 02/21/2012 11:51:59 PM PST by U-238
Israel has developed a new 500 pound (227 kg) penetrator bomb, the MPR-500. The MPR-500 can smash through more than a meter (39 inches) of concrete, or four 200mm (8 inch) concrete barriers (floors or bunker walls) and then detonate. When the MPR-500 explodes, it releases 26,000 fragments, which will wound or kill out to 100 meters. While the MPR-500 is an unguided bomb, it is most useful when mated with a guidance kit to become a smart bomb. The most common such kit is the American JDAM, which converts 500, 1,000 (455 kg) and 2,000 (910 kg) pound unguided bombs into highly accurate guided "smart bombs".
Currently, most penetrator bombs are heavier (910 kg), and models like the BLU-109 can penetrate five meters (16 feet) of concrete. The heavier (5,000 pound) GBU-28 can penetrate 32 meters (100 feet) of earth, or six meters (20 feet) of concrete. Israel already has hundreds of these larger penetrator bombs, but apparently sees a need for smaller penetrators. More of the smaller bombs can be carried on each sortie. There are smaller penetrators as well.
Israel had watched (from the air and via spies on the ground) as the Iranian supported Hezbollah militia built underground bunkers in southern Lebanon over the last twelve years. Hezbollah built many of these bunkers into homes and schools. Others were dug into mountains. While there were a lot of targets that required the GBU-24 and 28, there were many more that could be destroyed with smaller bombs. For some of those, Israel has bought thousands of 250 pound (114 kg) American Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), which can penetrate half a meter (20 inches) of rock or concrete, and much more packed earth. With the addition of the locally made MPR-500,
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
nuclear research facilities react poorly with precision guided high explosive munitions.
Thanks very much for finding and posting this article.
You’re fitting right in here!!!
Good work newbie...
It would be of use against some targets in Iran, but I’m sure it will fetch in plenty of foreign exchange for Israel in the long term.
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That would make sense, since unleashing Hezbollah on Irael's northern border would be the likely immediate response from Iran if their nuclear facilities were attacked.
They may not even wait to retaliate, since Iranian officials have recently said they'd launch a pre-emptive strike if they felt their security were in jeopardy from an imminent attack.
I concur with your thought.
Hezbollah is the Iranian ground force that will engage Israel. It needs to be destroyed in half a day. Iran seems to be unable to project their own military.
The IDF needs to broadcast TV clips into Lebanon of the Dead and injured hiding from the USAF in the VIP bunker in Iraq ......
What's important, if there is a next go around, is the fact Israel has already informed the Lebanese the gloves will be off. In the 2006 conflict, they were hopeful the citizens of Lebanon would use the opportunity to rid themselves of the Syrian and Hezbollah elements in the country. Unfortunately, that did not happen.
Now that Hezbollah has co-opted the Lebanese government, it makes it easier for Israel to target the nation's leadership and infrastructure, should Hezbollah attack.
Not quite. I have been along most of the blogger block. After all, I was a global moderator
They are very exclsuive. They might even sell some to the U.S. The U.S. does buy Irsaeli made military goods..
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