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Mk. 80 Series General Purpose Free Fall Bombs

General Purpose, low drag free-fall bomb.

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History

The Mk 80 series bombs are is a non-guided, low drag, free-fall, general purpose explosives. The cases are relatively light; approximately 45 percent of their total weight is explosive filler and are designed to be streamlined, so as to reduce aerodynamic resistance. Mk. 80 GP bombs are typically used in situations where pin-point accuracy is not critical and where maximum blast and explosive effects are desired. There are currently four variants of the Mk. 80 GP bomb: the Mk. 81 250 pound bomb, the Mk. 82 500 pound bomb, the Mk. 83 1,000 pound bomb, and the Mk. 84 2,000 pound bomb.

These bombs are usually equipped with both nose and tail mechanical fuses for ground bursts, or a radar-proximity fuse for air-bursts. For low altitude delivery, the Mk. 80 series bombs may be equipped with either a high-drag "popout" tail fin assembly or "ballute" (combination balloon/parachute) drogue assembly. These retardation devices slow the descent rate of the bomb significantly, allowing the releasing aircraft to maneuver clear of the target area prior to detonation.

Thermally protected versions of the Mk. 80 series were developed for use on aircraft carriers. These weapons are filled with a less sensitive explosive and treated to resist "cook off" in the event of exposure to an aviation fuel fire.

Two hard target penetration variants of the Mk. 80 series are currently in production. The BLU-111 is the 500lb variant and the BLU-110 is the 1,000 pound variant. The bomb case is made from forged steel, and the H-6 or Tritonal explosive filler has been replaced with PBNX-109.

Description

The basic Mk. 80 GP bomb consists of a an explosive filled metal case. Specific fuses may be added to the nose and tail sections of the case, depending on the desired blast effect, and the case can be equipped with either low drage guidance fins or a high drag ""popout"" fin or ""ballute"" assembly.