595:. The microphone listens, and the microcontroller counts the number of floors until the bomb breaks through the desired numbers of floors. Northrop Grumman is working on the Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze (HTVSF) ,an electronic, cockpit programmable, fuze capable of destroying deeply buried and targets. It provides multiple delay arming and detonation times, as well as a void-sensing capability, which allows for precision activation of the fuze for 2,000-and-5,000-pound (910 and 2,270 kg) weapons to explode when they reach an open space in a deeply buried bunker.
36:
604:
252:
234:
397:(1991), there was a need for a deep penetration bomb similar to the British weapons of World War II, but none of the NATO air forces had such a weapon. As a stop-gap, some were developed over a period of 28 days, using old 8 inch (203 mm) artillery barrels as casings. These bombs weighed over two tons but carried only 647 lb (293 kg) of high explosive. They were laser-guided and were designated "Guided Bomb Unit-28 (
310:', or large buried cavern, at the same time as delivering a shock wave through the target's foundations. The target then collapses into the hole, no matter how hardened it may be. The bombs had strong casings because they needed to travel through rock rather than reinforced concrete, though they could perform equally well against hardened surfaces. In an attack on the
379:
98:
342:
For accuracy, the bombs had to be dropped precisely from a pre-determined height (usually 20,000 ft (6,100 m)). They would free-fall for around 30 seconds until, at 5,000 ft (1,500 m), the rockets were ignited, causing the tail section to be expelled. The rocket burn lasted
305:
Though these bombs might be thought of as "bunker busters" today, in fact the original "earthquake" theory was more complex and subtle than simply penetrating a hardened surface. The earthquake bombs were designed not to strike a target directly, but to impact beside it, penetrate under it, and
679:
yield and weapon design have changed periodically throughout the history of the design of such weapons. An underground explosion releases a larger fraction of its energy into the ground, compared to an explosion at or above the surface which releases most of its energy into the atmosphere.
562:
298:—a concept he had first proposed in 1939. The designs were very aerodynamic, allowing them to exceed the speed of sound as they fell from 22,000 ft (6,700 m). The tails were designed with offset fins causing the bombs to spin as they fell. Using the same principle as a
964:"Running parallel with the development of large bombs was a project for obtaining high striking velocities by means of a rocket assisted 4,500-lb British bomb called the Disney. (...) As early as June 1945, the concrete V-weapon structure at Watten was used as a target".
302:, this enabled them to resist being deflected, thereby improving accuracy. They had casings of high grade steel, much stronger than the typical World War II bomb so that they would survive hitting a hardened surface, or penetrate deep into the ground.
1172:
347:
1.29. Post-war tests demonstrated that the bombs were able to penetrate a 14-foot-8-inch (4.47 m) thick concrete roof, with the predicted (but untested) ability to penetrate 16 feet 8 inches (5.08 m) of concrete.
412:
aircraft. It is stated to be able to penetrate 10–20 m of earth or 2 m of reinforced concrete. The bomb weighs 1,500 kg (3,300 lb), with 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) being the high explosive penetrating warhead. It is
1038:
1136:
This is a standalone report documenting the latest version of the Young/Sandia penetration equations and related analytical techniques to predict penetration into natural earth materials and concrete.
584:: a combination of timer and a sturdy dynamic propeller on the rear of the bomb. The fuze is armed when the bomb is released, and detonates when the propeller stops turning and the timer has expired.
976:] (in Polish). Vol. Część 1 – Zastosowania (Volume 1 – applications). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej (Ministry Of National Defense Publishing House). pp. 556–557.
1167:
339:, it had a streamlined hardened case and weighed about 4,500 lb (2,000 kg) including the rocket assembly. The actual explosive content was about 500 lb (230 kg).
328:(officially "4500 lb Concrete Piercing/Rocket Assisted bomb") was a World War II device designed to be used against U-boat pens and other super-hardened targets. Devised by Captain
675:. However, because such weapons necessarily come into contact with large amounts of earth-based debris, they may, under certain circumstances, still generate significant fallout.
1106:
Directory of U.S. Military
Rockets and Missiles fitted with bunker busting bombs to extend distances and to have horizontal as well as vertical movement and control. (Appendix 4)
619:), the warhead may consist of a high-density projectile only. Such a warhead carries more energy than a warhead with chemical explosives (kinetic energy of a projectile at
343:
for three seconds and added 300 ft/s (91 m/s) to the bomb's speed, giving a final impact speed of 1,450 ft/s (440 m/s; 990 mph), approximately
336:
923:
920:
1085:
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318:, two Grand Slams went through the 15 ft (4.5 m) reinforced concrete hardening—equalling or exceeding the best current penetration specifications.
615:
The extra speed provided by a rocket motor enables greater penetration of a missile-mounted bunker buster warhead. To reach maximum penetration (
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120:
57:
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941:
Comparative Test of the
Effectiveness of Large Bombs against Reinforced Concrete Structures (Anglo-American Bomb Tests – Project Ruby)
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924:
https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-awarded-110-million-for-us-air-force-hard-target-void-sensing-fuze
196:
645:
version of the bunker buster. The non-nuclear component of the weapon is designed to greatly enhance the penetration into
603:
222:
906:"ATK Awarded Contract for Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze (HTVSF) Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase."
418:
332:
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would be reduced from that of a standard, air-burst nuclear detonation because they would have relatively low
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1168:
Annotated bibliography for nuclear bunker buster bombs from the Alsos
Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
638:
632:
383:
783:
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to deliver a nuclear warhead to a target. These weapons would be used to destroy hardened, underground
283:, designed two bombs that would become the conceptual predecessors of modern bunker busters: the five
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581:
1022:
Admiralty Brief: the story of inventions that contributed to victory in the Battle of the
Atlantic
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507:
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The
Development Of Empirical Equations For Predicting Depth Of An Earth Penetrating Projectile
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983:
978:
Figure 280, p. 558, provides a detailed diagram of the Disney bomb (with its internals).
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561:
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168:
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Other sources mention a striking speed of 2,400 ft/s (730 m/s; 1,600 mph). (
167:
that is designed to penetrate hardened targets or targets buried deep underground, such as
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is another country known to be developing bunker busters, such as the SARB-83 and NEB-84.
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series of laser-guided bombs to penetrate hardened or deeply buried structures :
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1084:(Report). Vol. ADA056701. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Vicksburg.
1012:
620:
280:
276:
238:
1067:
404:
An example of a
Russian bunker buster is the KAB-1500L-Pr. It is delivered with the
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Alekseevskii, V. P. (1966). "Penetration of a rod into a target at high velocity".
741:
616:
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1134:(Report). Vol. SAND94-2726. Albuquerque NM: Sandia National Laboratories.
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1182:
1146:(Report). Vol. SC-DR-67-60. Albuquerque NM: Sandia National Laboratories.
588:
363:
356:
Post war, the US added a form of remote guidance to the
Tallboy to create the
195:
to improve penetration. They were tested in 1942 and 1943 against the
Belgian
1059:
17:
307:
218:
1173:
Read
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Bunker Busters
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Modern bunker busters may use a traditional fuze, but some also include a
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164:
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were bunker-busting artillery shells, developed by the German engineer
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1102:"Textron (Avco) BLU-106/B BKEP (Boosted Kinetic Energy Penetrator)"
127:
external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into
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560:
409:
405:
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315:
284:
250:
232:
1039:
Combustion, Explosion, and Shock Waves (Fizika
Goreniya i Vzryva)
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577:
1178:
Video against usage (produced by Union of Concerned Scientists)
91:
29:
417:
and has a reported strike accuracy of 7 m (23 ft)
938:
Air Proving Ground Command Eglin Field (31 October 1946).
874:"Why the Pentagon is beefing up its 'bunker buster' bombs"
27:
Munition for penetrating hardened or deeply buried targets
116:
111:
may not follow Knowledge (XXG)'s policies or guidelines
362:, a 12,000-pound bomb (5,443 kg) deployed in the
548:
More recently, the US has developed the 30,000-pound
424:
The US has a series of custom made bombs such as the
401:)". It was proven effective for the intended role.
1078:Depth and Motion Prediction for Earth Penetrators
247:. Note the figure standing on the pile of rubble.
337:Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
1158:Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28) BLU-113 Penetrator
1121:against runways and hardened aircraft shelters.
1009:Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary
968:Burakowski, Tadeusz; Sala, Aleksander (1960).
922:Northrop Grumman Newsroom, February 28, 2020.
830:
723:
263:. The bomb was one of a number dropped on the
223:unguided rocket-propelled armor-piercing bombs
225:for use against shipping and fortifications.
8:
988:. St. Paul, MN: MBI Publishing. p. 45.
860:
845:
770:
255:Diagram of a roof penetration produced by a
366:against an underground command center near
742:"Les étranges obus du fort de Neufchâteau
1163:BBC: 'Bunker buster' missiles aim at Moon
803:
147:Learn how and when to remove this message
80:Learn how and when to remove this message
856:
854:
841:
839:
826:
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664:deeply buried. In theory, the amount of
430:
382:An example of bunker busters at work at
43:This article includes a list of general
815:
733:
719:
711:
1183:Video of bunker buster bomb in action
7:
611:strikes its target in a weapons test
191:, based on the theory of increasing
954:from the original on 8 October 2012
279:, already famous for inventing the
947:. Orlando, Florida: US Air Force.
566:GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator
49:it lacks sufficient corresponding
25:
482:Advanced Unitary Penetrator (AUP)
96:
34:
1088:from the original on 2012-10-08
985:Weapons of the Eighth Air Force
527:more than 6 m (20 ft)
982:Johnsen, Frederick A. (2003).
887:Kopp, Carlo (11 August 2009).
750:derelicta.pagesperso-orange.fr
1:
889:"Soviet/Russian Guided Bombs"
1075:Bernard, Robert S. (1978).
974:Rockets and guided missiles
970:Rakiety i Pociski Kierowane
1224:
1208:Anti-fortification weapons
1003:RAF staff (6 April 2005).
831:Burakowski & Sala 1960
786:. Barnes Wallis Foundation
724:Burakowski & Sala 1960
630:
580:is the same as a classic
475:
438:
1100:Parsch, Andreas (2006).
1020:Terrell, Edward (1958).
203:Aircraft delivered bombs
197:Fort d'Aubin-Neufchâteau
476:3.4 m (11 ft)
275:, the British designer
267:during post-war testing
64:more precise citations.
612:
568:
444:1.8 m (6 ft)
395:Operation Desert Storm
390:
268:
248:
221:developed a series of
1128:Penetration equations
639:nuclear bunker buster
633:Nuclear bunker buster
606:
564:
384:Ali Al Salem Air Base
381:
259:striking the German,
254:
241:after being hit by a
236:
175:Armor piercing shells
1142:Young, C.W. (1967).
1125:Young, C.W. (1997).
434:Depth of Penetration
312:Valentin U-Boat pens
217:In World War II the
117:improve this article
893:Air Power Australia
818:, pp. 197–212.
582:armor-piercing bomb
508:Thermobaric Warhead
436:reinforced concrete
335:of the Admiralty's
261:Valentin U-boat pen
129:footnote references
1188:Tunnel buster bomb
1117:US rocket-boosted
1052:10.1007/BF00749237
1005:"Grand Slam Raids"
784:"Earthquake Bombs"
613:
609:GBU-24 Paveway III
569:
391:
296:"Earthquake" bombs
290:and the ten tonne
269:
249:
861:Project Ruby 1946
846:Project Ruby 1946
771:Project Ruby 1946
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193:sectional density
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16:(Redirected from
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576:The traditional
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169:military bunkers
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185:Röchling shells
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281:bouncing bomb
278:
277:Barnes Wallis
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18:Bunker Buster
1203:Aerial bombs
1143:
1135:
1127:
1109:. Retrieved
1105:
1090:. Retrieved
1077:
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1021:
1013:the original
1008:
984:
973:
969:
956:. Retrieved
940:
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908:
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892:
882:
868:
863:, p. 23
848:, p. 18
816:Terrell 1958
811:
799:
788:. Retrieved
778:
766:
754:. Retrieved
749:
743:
736:
720:Johnsen 2003
714:
636:
617:impact depth
614:
586:
575:
554:
547:
423:
415:laser guided
403:
392:
357:
355:
341:
323:
321:The British
320:
304:
300:spinning top
273:World War II
270:
242:
216:
208:World War II
183:
160:
158:
143:
137:January 2023
134:
119:by removing
106:
76:
67:
48:
1119:submunition
752:(in French)
695:Disney bomb
666:radioactive
257:Disney bomb
70:August 2013
62:introducing
1197:Categories
1092:2015-12-07
932:References
790:2020-11-27
589:microphone
450:Penetrator
364:Korean War
306:create a '
292:Grand Slam
244:Grand Slam
239:U-Boat pen
45:references
1060:0010-5082
1024:. Harrap.
505:BLU-118/B
308:camouflet
219:Luftwaffe
121:excessive
1086:Archived
1068:97258659
949:Archived
684:See also
659:military
655:concrete
599:Missiles
408:and the
165:munition
1111:27 June
756:11 June
744:(suite)
677:Warhead
662:bunkers
641:is the
627:Nuclear
531:BLU-113
521:AGM-130
498:AGM-130
480:BLU-116
470:AGM-130
448:BLU-109
426:Paveway
393:During
368:Kanggye
288:Tallboy
213:Germany
180:Germany
115:Please
107:use of
58:improve
1066:
1058:
992:
958:9 June
572:Fuzing
556:Turkey
550:GBU-57
541:GBU-37
537:GBU-28
517:GBU-24
513:GBU-15
494:GBU-27
490:GBU-24
486:GBU-15
466:GBU-27
462:GBU-24
458:GBU-15
454:GBU-10
406:Su-24M
399:GBU-28
388:Kuwait
374:Modern
359:Tarzon
324:Disney
265:bunker
47:, but
1132:(PDF)
1082:(PDF)
1064:S2CID
972:[
952:(PDF)
945:(PDF)
706:Notes
653:, or
410:Su-34
316:Farge
285:tonne
1113:2011
1056:ISSN
990:ISBN
960:2011
758:2016
651:rock
647:soil
637:The
591:and
578:fuze
345:Mach
333:RNVR
326:bomb
1048:doi
909:ATK
623:).
419:CEP
314:at
271:In
123:or
1199::
1104:.
1062:.
1054:.
1042:.
1007:.
891:.
853:^
838:^
823:^
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