Trick or Treat for OBL

BLU-82 Commando Vault The BLU-82B/C-130 weapon system, nicknamed Commando Vault, is the high altitude delivery of a 15,000 pound general purpose bomb from a C-130. This system depends upon the accurate positioning of the aircraft by either a fixed ground radar or onboard navigation equipment. The ground radar controller or aircrew navigator as applicable, is responsible for positioning the aircraft prior to final countdown and release. Primary aircrew considerations include accurate ballistic and wind computations provided by the navigator, and precision instrument flying with strict adherence to controller instructions. The minimum altitude for release due to blast effects of the weapon is 6,000 feet AGL. The BLU-82 is a 15,000 pound GP bomb originally designed to clear helicopter landing zones in Vietnam. The warhead contains 12,600 pounds of GSX slurry and is detonated just above ground level by a 38-inch fuze extender. The weapon produces an overpressure of 1,000 pounds per square inch. Eleven BLU-82s were dropped during Desert Storm, all from Special Operations C-130s. The initial drops were intended to test the ability of the bomb to clear mines; no reliable bomb damage assessment exist on mine clearing effectiveness. Later, bombs were dropped as much for their psychological effect as for their destructive power.

Specifications
Class: 15,000 lb. Blast/Fragmentation
Guidance: Ballistic
Autopilot: None
Propulsion: None
Weight (lb.): 15,000
Length (in): 141.6
Diameter (in): 54
Warhead (lbs.): 15,000
Explosive: Aluminum Powder (12,600 lbs.)
Fuze: M904 (Nose); M905 (Tail)
Unit Cost $27,318
Aircraft MC-130

Ol' Billybob, the Congressman from FreeRepublic, has been writing about the characteristics of the BLU-82 for more than two weeks, now. It's nice to see this fearsome weapon getting some press. However, the article is wrong. It was "tested" in the Gulf War less than the 11 times cited in this article.

In summary, no one survives and no buildings remain standing anywhere near ground zero when the BLU-82 is dropped. Just like I said on FreeRepublic two weeks ago. It will probably be the weapon of choice against the Taliban "troop concentrations" north of Kabul, just before the Northan Alliance begins its push to retake the capitol. The BLU-82 leaves the ground area uninhabited and undefended within minutes, for advancing troops.

The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob,
cyberCongressman from Western Carolina

Click here and go to "ALCU Watch" for "The Law of War," a detailed legal discussion of how the US declares war, both historically and in this instance.

For a clear discussion of the difference between what the US can constitutionally do in wartime with aliens (but NOT with US citizens of foreign extraction), see my book, Manzanar, published in 1988.

The initial drops were intended to test the ability of the bomb to clear mines; no reliable bomb damage assessment exist on mine clearing effectiveness.

"Do we have BDA on that BLU-82 drop in the minefield?"

"No, sir, we don't."

"Why not, Lieutenant?"

"The crater's too deep, sir..."

Yow. That little firecracker's probably not too useful in a mountain cave, but shove one out over a terrorist training camp and it's party time. Talk about "one shot, one kill"...yeesh.

}:-)4

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