Special
Operations.Com Focus Feature
BLU-82
"Big Blue 82"
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 MC-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.
Hot
Link
BLU-82
- Federation of American Scientists
Vietnam
BLU-82
Detonation - The following series of pictures
are of a "Daisy-cutter" -- a fifteen thousand
pound bomb used to create an instant landing zone.
Must see these first-hand pics.
Desert
Storm
MC-130E/H
Combat Talon I/II - During Desert Storm, the MC-130E
Combat Talon I played a vital role. One third of all
airdrops in the first three weeks of the war were
performed by MC-130s. Its primary role was psychological
operations, as it air-dropped 11 BLU-82/B general
purpose bombs and flew multiple missions air-dropping
and dispersing leaflets
...and
the dirty little weapons. By Paul F. Walker
MILNET:
U.S. Air Force Air Commandos
PsyWar
Terror Tactics - Picture of the leaflet dropped
to Iraqi troops prior to the dropping of a BLU-82
Chapter
VI - The Air Campaign - Report to Congress on
the Conduct of the Persian Gulf War
Air Force Doctrine
Document
35 Secretary of the Air Force 16 January 1995
- Special Operations
Air Force Doctinre
- Persian Gulf Air War - Psychological
Operations
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