Originally posted by Reynolds
What about that new bomb that F-16s carry, the tank buster that shoots out a bunch of discs, and can take out like 75 tanks with a single bomb? I forget what its called, but surely the 22 can carry it, and do the individual discs count as bombs in and of themselfes?
You're thinking of the CBU-97 with BLU-108 bomblets. When released, each CBU-97 releases ten sub-munition dispensers. Each one of those springs out four arms with 4 BLU-108s attached for a total of 40 "skeet" submunitions. Each dispenser fires it's own rocket motor before launching the "skeet." Individual submunitions scan out using IIR imaging cameras to search for a target. Once it finds a target, it fires a forged copper penetrator down through the engine deck. Thus far it has only ever been dropped once, on a column of Iraqi vehicles during the initial invasion. Two CBU-97s obliterated half of the column, causing the remainder to either split or surrender. They are expensive as all hell to use; clocking in at around $400,000 a pop. For reference, a Mk. 82 500lbs bomb costs somewhere between $900-1,200 to acquire. Adding a JDAM kit to that Mk 82 balloons out to $18,000.
Submunitions are bomblets (mini-bombs) and do not individually count towards the aircraft munitions load.
And the F-22 can't carry them. It will be able to haul JDAM and the new SDB once it is placed in production. Beyond that? Forget it. The "F/A" designation throws a lot of people off, making them think the "F/A-22" will have the same ground pounding ability of the F/A-18. Ground attack functions were added to the F-22 as an after-thought. Primarily, it is an air-superiority fighter, not a mud-mover. They may design mod kits permitting increased ordnance options in the future, but for now all that thing can carry is JDAM.
However the F-15E, F-16C/D, B-2, B-52, A-10A and most likely F-35 can haul the CBU-97.
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Flakbait [Delta6]
