France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
theatlanticwire.com
France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
1–10 of 27 posts
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#2This is brilliant.
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#3Pretty sure the US did this during the first gulf war to destroy stationary targets without the pesky explosion.
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#4Pretty sure the US did this during the first gulf war to destroy stationary targets without the pesky explosion.
Back in 1991, IIRC, missiles were smart but bombs were still dumb.
The US seems to have started using concrete bombs in 1999 (against Iraq, but not during either gulf war).
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/07/world/us-wields-defter-wea...
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#5Pretty sure the US did this during the first gulf war to destroy stationary targets without the pesky explosion.
Back in 1991, IIRC, missiles were smart but bombs were still dumb. The US seems to have started using concrete bombs in 1999 (against Iraq, but not during either gulf war). http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/07/world/us-wields-defter-wea...
They had 'smart' versions of bombs and missiles back in 91. They just didn't have GPS guided ones/cheap guided munitions. They have both now (with cheap in a relative term).
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#6I wonder how accurate you have to hit the target to get the intended consequences.
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#7Pretty sure the US did this during the first gulf war to destroy stationary targets without the pesky explosion.
Back in 1991, IIRC, missiles were smart but bombs were still dumb. The US seems to have started using concrete bombs in 1999 (against Iraq, but not during either gulf war). http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/07/world/us-wields-defter-wea...
British forces used laser-guided bombs in 1991. The target was laser-painted by a Buccaneer, bombs were dropped by Tornado.
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#8To generate the force of a 1 ton TNT explosion, a shell shaped bomb moving at 800 ft per second will need to weigh 311,000 pounds. [K.E.=1/2 x m x v x v]
It takes a fraction of this to dent a tank out of commission, provided you're accurate. The overpressure wave bouncing around inside the tank cabin created by a direct hit probably has stunning effects on the crew and may not kill them if the cabin isn't crushed - although it could do terrible damage to the ears, lungs and stomach.
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#9Soon: imaginary bombs, weighting sqrt(-1) t :)
Re: France Is Dropping Concrete Bombs
#10To generate the force of a 1 ton TNT explosion, a shell shaped bomb moving at 800 ft per second will need to weigh 311,000 pounds. [K.E.=1/2 x m x v x v] It takes a fraction of this to dent a tank out of commission, provided you're accurate. The overpressure wave bouncing around inside the tank cabin created by a direct hit probably has stunning effects on the crew and may not kill them if the cabin isn't crushed - a…
Or to look at it another way:
v^2 = u^2 + 2as = 0 + 2 x 9.81 x 2,000 = 39,000
KE = 0.5mv^2 = 0.5 * 300 * 39,000 = 6MJ
I.e. about 1kg of TNT. "Crush"?? I'm with you on this one, mmaunder