Yolame

Issue 74

Pnblished by Orbis Publishing Ltd @Aerospace Publishing Ltd 1985

Editorial Offices
War Machine
Aerospace Publishing Ltd 10 Barley Mow Passage London W4 4PH

Managing Editor: Stan Morse Edhorial: Trisha Palmer

Chris Bishop Chris Chant lan Drury

Ilesign: Rod Teasdale

Thame, Oxon

ColourOrigination: lmago Publishing Typesetting:

SX Composing Ltd

Ltd.

Film work: Precise Litho Ltd

Artists:
Keith Woodcock

Art Workshop
31

Consultant Editor: Major General Sir Jeremy Moore KCB OBE MC, Commander of British Land Forc6 during the
Falklands campaign.

Pictare aclanowledgements
Photognghj Terc Instruments. l,16l: US Air Force/uS Air Force. 1462: AerospatialdAerospatiale. l{63; Saab-BoforVuS Defere Intelligence Agency. 1464: US Nadswedish air force. 1465; US At Force/US NavyruS Air Force. I,166: MoD/Dasulr/tts Au Force. lrt6?: US NavyruS Aa Force,OS Nalry. 1468r TexN lnstrmeDts/R@kwell 146!L TeH Instrments/lerc lrstrments. l4Z0: Texm lnstrment${Js Air Force. I4?lr Tex6 l$truments. l4Z4: M*rsbmift-Bolkow-Blohmtimting,Eritish Aerospace. l4?5: Bdtish Aerospae/US NavyruS Navy. 14?6: Tex6 Instrments. l4??: US Air ForceruS Air Force. l4?8: US Air Fory'us Navy. l.l8& US AE Force/us Air Force/us AA Force. (iii): CovBritish Aerospace. (iv): HOUK lDd ForVHQ UK Land Forc6
Th

CoE

851

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06.

ilticle Daring the DEqon's

Jav/ is rcprinled ftom The Tale ot Two

Bidg6

, US Oovemment

prjntirg

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l{odernAir
to-Ground lftbaponru
By far the largest proportion of the strength of modetn

air

forces is dedicated to what Amertcan plannets have called the'Air-Land Battle', providing assistance to allied groand forces and interdicting the enemy. To be effective, air arms have to he able accurately to deliver sophisticated weaponry.
Air-to-surface weaponry encompasses a wide variety of types ranging irom the simple, relatively inaccurate mass-produced cheap 'iron' bomb, through unguided alr{o-surface rockets to the hiqhly sophisticated, very accurate and extremely expensive precrsion-guided muniiions such as the air-to-surface missile and the guided bomb, It also rncludes such weapons as the various types of cluster bombs designed io carry large numbers of small bomblets or mines for use against area iargets, and the new dispenser weapons to be carried under the fuselage of the Panavra Tornado strike aircraft, In assessing the capabrlities of the world's atr forces and thetr inventories of these weapons, it rapidly becomes apparent that only relatively lew nations have available the complete spectrum of air-to-surface weapons, and that even some of the larger nations, such as Communist

Tlpical of modern combat aircraft, the Dassault Mirage 2000 is capable of carrying awide range of weapons, including bombs, cluster bombs, unguided roc kets and air-to- surface and air- to-armjssjles. number of modern precision-gn:ided weapons wrth stand-off capability are needed today just to reduce the anticipated losses of strike aircraft committed agarnst such sophisticated air deiences as the Sovlets currently have available. If the present Minlstry of Defence planning in this fleid for the Royal Air Force remairis unaltered, the service will not be able to meet all its conventional NATO target commitments and would almost certainly lose srgnificant numbers of its aircraft during overflights to deliver fairly outmoded weapons, The Falkl4nds war was a severe lesson in this respect, as all the BAe Harrier and Sea Harner combat losses were to Argentine arr defences that are mlnimal tn comparison wrth those that must be antrcrpated in attacks on a Warsaw Pact arrfield, or even a target just behind the marn battle zone, Israel has vast combat experience derived from her Middle East wars and has realized that a wide variety of weaponry is required to meet the requirements of specific occasions, especrally as she considers that the lives and experience of her pilots are of paramount impodance.
An American Boeing B-52H is seen dispensrngr retarded bombs at low fievel. Such flying is essential in the face of modern air defences, and the weaponry must be slowed to enable the aircraft to escape the blast.

China, seem to be fairty backward in the types they have have rn

service, Both the USA and the USSR are very well equipped, whrlst the Royal Air Force is poorly equipped, the more so when one considers that a weapon such as a cluster bomb is fairly cheap to design and butld, or even to buy 'offthe shelf from another natron, Moreover, an increasing

4:;;:!i:

:. 1 .::.

.'

.. .. :

...

AS,2O, the Aerospatiale AS.30 started life in 1958 ihe Nord 540I, In 1960 the basic -iS 30 was fielded aboard the Dassault

:ssentrally a scaled up

fi

nerorpatiale 45.30 andAS.30 Laser

a

.:

: lench air force requirement for an :-r-to-surface mrssile (ASM) that could :e launched wrrhout the carrier comr:rg wlthin 3 km (1,86 miles) of the :arget, With a rangte of over lO km (6,2 niles) and a terminal CEP of less than - ) m (32.8 ft), the onginal versron required the operator to keep the misslle aliqmed on the tarQtet with a joystick and tracking flares on the rear of the missile s body; a radio link was used to iransmit correctrve guidance com-

l.lrage III fighter-bomber to meet

The A5.30 has been operational for nearly 25 years, and in that time has seen a continual enhancement ofits capability. With its M ach J.5 spee4 the AS .30 has a range of some 11.25 km(7 miles).

mands to the onboard autopilot for

automatrc gnldance system and new flip-out fins entered production and sewice only for the French arr force, Thrs 45.30 TCA employs a SAT tracker u:rit for the continuous monitoring of an IR flare on the missile's rear, the pilot having only to keep the target centred in his attack sight. Over 3,870 AS.30s

,r111-1:,:,r:},[email protected]::

In 1964 an improved variant with a TCA semicourse corrections,

were built for a number of

nations,

operators being France, India, Israel (now out of service), Peru, South Africa, Sr,vitzerland UK (now out of servrce) and West Germany. Of these South Africa has used the missile

ulder operational conditrons to attack

and damage the abandoned and drifting oil tanker Wafra off her coastline, the launch aircraft in this case being the BAe Buccaneer S.Mk 50. To enhance the weapon's capabihties into the 1990s, Thomson-CSF and A6rospatrale began work in 1974 on a laser-gmrded version. The target designation pod is the Automatic Tracking Laser Illuminator System (or Atlis), whilst the laser seeker head is called Ariel By l9B0 the first homrng trials

deliveries of production 45.30 Laser rounds were made to the French air force for use on its SEPECAT lawar flghter-bombers, and several other as yet unidentifled counrries have since adopted the type.

(AS,30 Laser) 3,65 m (1 1 ft I 1,7 in); 1.0 m (3 ft 3.4 in); diameter 0.34 m (13,4 in) Launchweight: 520 kg (1,146,4 lb)

span

rs seen mounted or a SEPECAT Jaguar during the first

An A5.30 Laser

Specification
45.30 series

wtth pre-production rounds were

under way, and in late 1983 the first

Type: airto-surface missile Dimensions: lenqrth (AS.30) 3.839 or 3.BBS m ( 12 ft 7. I in or 12 ft 9 in), or

Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket motor Performance: speed Mach I 5; range I 1.25 km (7 miles); CEP (AS.30 and AS,30 TCA) less than l0 m (32,8 ft) or (AS.30 Laser) about 2.0 m (6.6 ft) Guidance:AS,30 manual, AS,30 TCA semi-automatic to line-of-sigtht, and

homing trials for the system.With Iaser guidance the latest A5.30 is accuratetowithin2 m(6 ft6 in),as compared to the earlierversion's
accuracy ot I 0 m (32 ft

in) .

AS,30 Laser laser-homing

Warhead: 240-ks (529-lb) HE with impact or delay-action fusingr

ffi

niroroatialeAsMP
Right: The large ASMP (mediumrange air-to-surface missile) weighs I 000 kg (2,205 Ib) at launch and can travel atspeeds ofup toMach4.

Moyenne Port6e, or medium-range air-to-surface missile) is due to become France's main air-delivered nuclear weapon, It rs powered by a
Iiquid-fuel ramjet system and will be

The A6rospatiale ASMP (Air-So1

used mainly against tactical tarqets such as road and railway bndges,
transport depots, and command, control and communications facilrties. It will also have a semr-strategic role
against hardened targets, and for this a

total of 16 Dassault-Bregnret Mrrage

IVA bombers of the Force de Frappe are being convefied to the Mirage IVP coniguration to carry one round under

the fuselage in place of the current

AN22 60/70-kiloton yield free-fall nuclear bomb, The first of two squadrons to operate the Mirage IVP will commission in 1987, For the tactical role with the ASMP
seat low-altitude strike fighters, which

the French air force is procurrng BS Dassault-Bregmet Mirage 2000N twofrom l9BB onwards will initially supplement and then replace the SEPECAT Jagmars at present assiened to this mission with single AN52 lS-kiloton yield

rammed inertral type with several flight profiles available. In general

terms these profiles are believed to be similar to those available to the Amer-

Missile gnridance is of the preprog-

Specification
ASMP Type: tactical and/or semr-strategic alr-to-surface missile Dimensions: length 5.38 m (17 ft 7,8 in); span not known; diameter 096 m (3 ft LB in) Launchweiqht: 1000 kg (2,205 lb)
Propr:lsion: liqurd-fu el ramj et Performance: speed Mach 4; range 300 kn ( 186 mrles); CEP not known

free-fall bombs. The French nary

rs

also convertlng approximately 50 of its carrier based Dassault-Bregnret Super

ican AGM-69 SRAM, A total of 100 operational rounds is to be procured for the two services, and these will replace the majority of the free-fall nuclear bombs now held in stock.

Scheduled to replace most free-fall nuclear bombs in French service, the ASMP missile will be mainly delivered by the strike version of the DassaultMirage 2000, and by remaining Mirage IV bombers. Super Etendards will also be fitted to operateASMP.
Guidance: inertial

Etendard fighters as launch platforms,

Warhead: iS0-kiloton yield nuclear

r462

Saab-Bofors Rb05A
The Saab-Bofors Rb05A is a simple, manually-controlled radio-command weapon for carriage on a wide variety of launch platforms, It is intended mainly for use against land and sea targets, but it may also in certain circumstances
Right: Armed with an HE blast Iragmentation warhead, the Mach 1 + Rb05A missile may be used in a Iimited air-to-air role as well as in its primary function as a tactical air-to-

Modern Air:to-Ground Weaponry

groundweapon.

be used in an air-to-air

role against such targets as a hovering helicopter, The airftame consists of a

pointed cylindncal body wrth longchord cruciform wings and aft-

mounted cruciform control surfaces. A [quid-propellant rocket motor is centrally located, and the electrical preheating of the round rs undertaken by the carrier platform, Once the mrssile has been launched ftom a height of20-50 m (65-165 ft), the aircraft c[mbs to around 300-4OO m (985-l,3t0ft) and the pilot manually etLudes the weapon by llning it up on the target with the visual ard of rearmounted trackinq flares, Any control signals required are passed to the Rb05A via the radio link to the missile's onboard receiver, Once the mrssile is in the target's vicinity, a proximity fuse detonates the HE blast-fraqmentation warhead. The Rb05A is used by the Swedish air force's Saab AJ37 Viggen attack and Saab 105 light stdke and trainer aucra-ft. Production started in the early 1970s and ceased in 1977, A more sophisticated version, the Rb05B with

electro-optical TV homing, was

to have been built, but this was cancelled

when the Swedes bought the Hughes AGM-65A Maverick in its place,

Specification
RbOSA

Type: air-to-surface missile Dimensions: lencrth3.60 m (1 I ft 9,7 in);

span0.B0 m (2 ft 7.5 in); diameter

0.30m(11,Bin)
Launch weight:305 kg (672,4 lb)

I kn

(5,6miIes); CEPlessthan iO m

Arming the

(32.8 ft)

Propulsion: liquid-propellant rocket Performance: speed Mach I *; range

Guidance: manual radio command Warhead: HE blast fraQrmentation

the Rb05A k a relatively simple rnr'ssile, sleered manually by radio command. The pilot of the aircraft

Saab AJ 37 attack

aircraft,

tracks the missilevisually after release, gruidance being made easier by flares in the missile tail. The w ar he ad has a proximity fuse.

il

Houi"t tactical air-to-surface missiles

It is notoriously difficult to obtain any reliable data on Sovret weapons ofany description unless they have been
captured, However, in the area of tactical arr{o-ground weapons it is knovrn that the Soviets have paralleled many of the Western equrpment types, and in some specific areas such as fuel-air explosive munitions have gained a real lead in development, The early Soviet tactical ASMs nev-

er received NATO reporting

names, but from American sources it has been

discovered that they were physically based on air-to-air missiles. The first real ASM to be seen by NATO was griven the designation AS-7 'Kerry', This entered service rn the late 1970s
with both the Soviet air force and navy, and is a single-staqe radar beamriding solid-propellant missile equivalent to the much earlier American Bullpup series, Thrs was followed by the AS-8, which is a fire-and-forget anti tank weapon for the Soviet attack hehcopters such as the Mil Mt-24 'Hind', and perhaps the Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' battlefield support aircraft. The AS-9 was the next in the sequence, and this rs reported to be a comparatlvely

bers and stnke aircraft in penetrating air defences, The more recent AS-ll and AS-12 are said to be improved versions of this missile wlth dtflerent homrnq heads and tncreased performance. The inteweningweapon, the AS10, is a Mach-1 solid-propellant missile with electro-optical homing, a range of I l. I kn (6.9 miles) and a 100-kq (220lb) warhead, The last missile for which details are available is the AS-14 (formerly known to NATO as the Advanced Tactical ASM), This is a larger version of the AS-I0 wrth mid-course grr"udance and the electro-optical homing system used for the terminal phase of its maximum 40-kn (2S-mile) flight trajectory. Recent photognaphic evi-

dence has shown it under the wings of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27'FloggerJ' fighter-bomber, The Soviets also have laser-gruuded

versions of their standard FAB-500, FAB-750 and FAB-1000 GP low-drag iron bombs, together with versions of
the 210-mm (8.27-in) S-21 and 325-mm (12,8-in) S-32 air-to-surface ungrLuded

The AS- I 4 is one of the most advanced tacticalmlssijes in service with the Soviets for which any information is available in thewest.

Carried by the MiG-27'Flogger-J', correction.

it

is thought to have an electro-optical Widance system with mid-course

rockets that have been fitted with ]imited visual-guidance systems, These supplement the vast array of conventional weapon types deployed by the
Soviets.

Dimensions:notknown
Launchweight: 1200 kg (2,646 lb) Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket motor Performance: speed Mach 1; rangte I L i krn (6,9 miles); CEP not knou"ryt Guidance: radar beam-riding Warhead: 100-ks (220. Slb) HE blast fragmentation

large turbojet-powered supersonic anti-radiation missile (ARM) with a range of i00 hn (62 miles) and a warhead of
150

Specification
AS-7'Kerry'
Type: au{o-surface missile

ks (331 lb) for use by bom-

doui"t strategic air-to-surface missiles

-r-:

:.aa::.Zt.t \"

:: :-: a:rnies of the Soviet Union use ::i:si3 valants of the AS-3 'Kangarco'. A,94 'Kitchen' and A.5-6'Kingfish' -li:],'. Ine Souets also use versions :: :-= last two mrssiles wrth passive
:,:::11ce in the defence of targets like-r' :: be attacked by Sovret strategic

p:=eli

ihe strateg[c elements of

Right: The AS-5'Kelt' bears a tamilY resemblance to the AS- I 'Kennel' , with the major change being from iet
eAS-S fi as tfi e nose (and probably guidance sys tem ) of the

lntake

torocketpower.lnplaceofthejet
fft

& qI

l,

tr

:r::r-:roming systems to destroy :=:-s assessed as being of prtme Lma: the thee hsted systems only the '+;as developed solely for the

'Styx'shipborneSSM.

-li-3

mission, the others also being =a:egac :-,-.''able rn antt-shipping variants for '-r= i:;'fie Sofiet naval air force. The Il-:garoo' was based on an alrcraft :-:laEe wrth lurbojet propulsion. The ;::-ia::ce rs handled by an autoPilot 'r.--: rir:d-course command-correction

::-:es:

no ierminal homtng system ts =::ed. and thrs lack of terminal accura-

i--:ld ihermonuclear warhead, The

-r

Cctates the use of an BOo-kiloton

(404 mrles) usrng a target

:=ge is 650 hr

:.Ji-alttude supersonic flight profile

:eicre a terminal dive at the

.::ation, Carried only by the T'upolev l::-95 Bear-B and'Bear-C' four-engtne

i:rg-rangre bombers, the AS-3 is srra-

d;ally being replaced by the

AS-4

l:arried by the 'Bear-G' conversion)

=d by the new-production ::ed

by the AS-X-IS, This latter is car'Bear-H',

-,';ilch can launch a number of the low-

ahtude AS-X-15 cruse missiles, which each have a range of 3000 lcn (1,865 mles) and a 20O-kiloton yield warhead.

Both the Mach-3,S AS-4 and the

propellant missiles. The AS-4 is inertialiy qnrided to its target, whereas

Mach-3,O A5-6 are single-stage solid-

rae A5-6 has an autopilot guidance sys-

lem. In the normal high-altitude flight profile the AS-4 has a range of 460 km
(286 miles) and the A'5-6 of 560 km (348 miles) with very steep terminal dives. In both case the missiles can be used

on a low-altitude profile, which reduces their ranges to 300km (186

Performance: speed Mach LB; range 650 hn (404 miles); CEP not known Guidance: autopilot with mid-course

miles) and 250 kn (155 miles) respectivel,v. The nuclear warhead carrted by both rs of 35O-kiloton yield, althougth this may be exchanged for a 1000-kg (2,205-1b) HE warhead if required, The strategic forces also use the AS5 'Kelt'on occasion with their medium bomber units, Thought to be used in

correction
Warhead: 2300-kq (5, 07 1 -1b) nuclear wrth a yield of 800 hlotons

Above: Carried in pairs by the Tupolev Tu- I 6'B adger', the AS -5 has been supplied tovarious Soviet clients operating the aircraft. The 8.59 m (28 ft 2 in) missile has a 1000kg (2,205-1b) high explosive warhead.

Below: Most potent aircraft in the Soviet inventory, the Tupolev Tu-22M 'Backfire' is mainly armed with the supersonic AS-4 'Kitchen' both for the strategic and the anti-shipping

roles.

thls context wrth a passive radar-

hominq seeker for defencepropellant rocket-powered winged missile with high- and low-altitude

suppression tasks, the 'Kelt' carries

only a conventional 1000-kg (2,205-lb) HE warhead, It is a Mach-l,2 liquid-

flight profile ranges of 230kn

miles) and
180

(143

tively, According to Israeli sources,

gaged by air-defence systems,

lcn (112 miles) respec-

the terminal dive angie is very shallow

and the weapon can easily be enstrategic missiles of higher performance are known to be in development, Ofthe current weapons the USSR uses

Further strategic air-launched

all, while the conventionally-armed

Egypt and Iraq,

AS-4 is used by Iraq, and the AS-5 bY

Specification
AS-3'Kangaroo'
Type: af -to-su-rface strategic missile Dimensions: lenqth i4,90 m (48 ft 10,6 in); span 9, i4 m (30 ft 0 in); diameter LBS m (6 ft0,8 in) Launchweight: 11000 kg (24,250 lb) Propulsion: one turbolet

r464

lYlodern Free- Fall Bombs

The startling development of precision guided missiles since the end of World W ar I I migit have led many to suppose that the day of the old fashioned' iron bomb'
was done.Thatthe truthisverydiiferentis areflectionof themultitudeof different types of targetconfronting an attacking aircraftin modernwarfate.
As most nations not in the Soviet bloc tend to

ment of weapons for use in the periodic

Although the Cluster Bomb Unrt (CBU) =-'::-tion was in sewice as early as World War,- -:-: US Navy generally neglected its develcp=e:-: during the first post-war decade. In sha5 :::-trast the US Air Force moved into th:s:e-i -: a big way as it concluded that such -,,teap,:-s

were particularly useful in enablirrg r:i.-,--i:='

use American-designed and American-built 'iron' bombs their development wili be reviewed first.
In the immediate post-war period a proposai was received by the then Bureau of Aeronautics to revise the US Navy's existing bomb in-

'brushfire' wars in the world, the US Naval Weapons Center at China Lake began de-

aircraft to make multiple kills oi sca:.erei

ventory to give a serles of streamlined iowdrag b6mbs that would be suitable for carriage
by future generations of supersonic aircraft envrsaged at the time, As the subsequent BuAer

design concept was too long, the proposing company (Douglas) chose an Aero 1A shape with a length:diameter ratio of 8.3: 1 and applied it to glve the familiar Mk 80 series of
82, the 454-ks (1,000-lb) Mk 83 and the 907-kqr (2,000-lb) Mk 84. Meanwhile the US Air Force took its existing 340 Z-kq (750-1b)

general-purpose (GP) bombs, namely the 1 13 4-kg (250-lb) Mk 8 I, the 227 -kq (500-1b) Mk

bomb and modified it with a new streamlined taii to give the Ml17 Demolition Bomb. Dwing the same period the Air Force produced the similar 1360 8-kg (3 000]b) M118. These two bombs had thinner casrngs than the US Navy models and thus produced their effects by blast rather than fragmentation,

velopment of a series of ungnrided conventional weapons that had'eye' series codenames. One of these was the Snakeye fin retarder for Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs; this permitted the bombs to be carried by alrcraft at high speed and then dropped at very low altitudes without destroyinq the plane in the subsequent blast. It achieves this effect by depioying several airbrake swfaces to slow the bomb's downward motion to a significant degree, However, even after years of use with the US forces, the Snakeye system is consldered to be unreliable, For the longer term an Advanced GeneralPurpose bomb is under study for use by the US Navy ln three sizes: 226 kq (500 1b), 454 kg (1,000lb) and 907kq (2000lb) The smallest bomb size has been discarded as it is considered too light for a modern battiefield and its targets, The US Alr Force may well use these bombs (as it did eventually the Mk 80 series) but instead seems to be veering towards the continued use of its old iron bombs (at least until current stocks are exhausted) but upgrading them lnto precision-guided munitlons and

targets on a single pass through urteise I:'-:-l fire. Thus the US Naw desrgmed orL:.i a:e-r' :: these weapons, of which the Mk 20 Rc:<e-'-e -anti-armour cluster bomb rs perhaps -ie :-:s.

familiar as it has been used by Israel tr: c:::::a: durrnq the 1973'Yom Kippw War a:rd'ne -?:Z invasion of Lebanon; the type entered seii:a with the US Navy in 1968. The US Air Force has assignred at ,eas:' :2 CBU numbers to munitions, although noi : :: these have entered service. The latest cc:',-=:-tional CBU with instantaneous effect su-b='-:-tions to have entered production is the CE--'a B C,ombined Eiiects Munltion which cc::a,::
202 bomblets

in a

SUU-64iB dtsperser

-a::-

shaped charge, a fragrme::a:::section and an incendiary device, A cc-rj=:able number of the CBUs destened and c'--: found use in the Vietnam War (such as -:-: CBU-194/B and CBU-3O/A which used CS -e-

bomblet has

In the late 1950s and as part ofthe develop-

supplementing them with new-build glidebomb systems,

gas bomblets, and the CBU-S2/B wrth :atmentation bomblets) in the atr-defence s*!pression role by literally smothering a srle -"---:the bomblets. In Europe the UK generally followed ie -S Air Force's lead after World War 1I by :s;-; -slightly modified versions of its World \,\ ar

The external carriage of stores can produce significant aerodynamic drag, consider ably degrading aircraft performance. The modem free-fallbomb is muchmore streamlined than is predecessors, assisting aircraft such as the Grumman A-6 Intruder.

p erhaps the greatest change to have occurred

,iiili"iifi.t

in ae ioinf nay tom tacticat aircraft. Ev6n the

General Dynamics

F_'

I 1. I , although having a small

to

bien theiirtualdisappearanceof weapols b2r,was designed

loads of ordnance on underwing

carrymassive hard points.

still exists n tle sia =e oltheBoeingB-S2.Themassive bomb load. up ic 24500 kg (54,000 Ib), was used to devastating effect in theVietnamWar, enormous tonnages being dropped on the North.
The old-style heavy bomber

Modern Free-Fall Bombs

bomb stocks. The adr,'en: of iast ;es requ[ed new weapons, however, resr-:Jtrng rn the current 244 9-ks (540-lc) and 454-ks (1 000-1b) medlum-capaciiy bombs which eventually garned tail retarding devices desigrned for the same function as the Snakeye, All these weapons are in widespread Brrtrsh use and Argentine use of the 454-kq (l 0001b) model against the Royal Navy during the 1982 FalkPakistan War, when bombs of a srmrlar type wrth the Sovtet designations BETAB-250 and BETAB-500 were dropped by Indian Air Force Mikoyan-Gwevich MiG-2ls and Sukhoi Su-7s. Dwing the numerous conflicts that the Soviet client states have fought, and in the current Soviet operatrons in A-fghanistan, a comprehensive array of free-fall bombs and cluster munitions has been used. The Soviets' latest narrow-body free-fall low-drag GP bombs are deslgnated FAB-100 FAB-250 FAB-500, FAB750 and FAB-1000 (the number indicating the weapon's notional weight in kilograms), and the Eg'yptians have revealed that the Soviets

have been exported, as is testified by the

lands war. However, unlike the Amerlcans and their prodigious development of CBUs, British interest since the late 1960s has centred on only

one weapon in thrs category, the BL-755 or Cluster Bomb Mk l, which entered servlce

with the Royal Alr Force inthe early I970s as an anti-armour weapon, Used in the Falklands war as an area weapon against airfield facilities, proved relatively successfui a]though a greater cholce of submunition types would have been welcome, An improved version, wrth capabilrty against the latest Soviet armour, ls now

use tail-mounted retarding devices for the

troop concentrations and supply dumps, it

being procured. In drrect comparison with

what is avarlable to American forces and the air forces of some other nations, such as France and Israel, the Royal Air Force's current capabriities in rhe free-fall bomb field are at besr questionable, France, with its manufacturers ThomsonBrandt and Matra and their range ol weapons from CBUs to cratering bombs, seems to have a better grasp than MoD planners of the munition types required for use in the modern battlefield, In fact it was Israel, with France's help,

that developed and subsequently used the 'concrete-dibber' type of rocket-powered bombs: in the 1967 Srx-Day War agalnst the
enemy's airfields by causing severe crater
Egyptians the Israelis closed a number of the

signations (and hence weights) of these

weapons are not known,
Below: An A-7 Corsair of theUS AirNationalGuard displays its load oI six 250-kg (550Jb) Snakeye Mk 82 bombs. These are streamlined to preventdrag while being carried, but are fitted with high-drag retarding devices on the tail,which deploywhen

mentation versions of these two bombs also exist wlth the designations OFAB-250 and OFAB-500 There rs also a series of incendiary bombs (but not napalm tanks) that corresponds in size to the FABs but allocated the prefix ZAB, Cluster munition designations are more dlfficult to discover, although it is known that ZAP200, PTK-250, RPK-180, RPK-250 and RRAK all refer to such weapons. The cluster weapon has been extensively used in Afghanistan, especially with a parachute retarding device in order to achieve safe low-altitude delivery and dispensing, It is also known that various fuel-air explosive boosted napalm bombs are avaiiable, together wlth SOV-AB persistent toxic chemlcal agent and NOV-AB non-persistent toxic chemical agent bombs. The precise de-

in deslgn to the American Snakeye. Frag-

FAB-250 and FAB-500 models that are similar

One of the most important types of bomb in the current inventory is the cluster bomb. Consisting of numerous sub-munitions in a single casing, the BL 755 was used extensively by Britain in the F alklands against so{t and widely dispersed targets.

damage beneath the runway surlace as a result of the bombs'tunnelling effects, The next use of such a weapon was during the l97l Indo-

dropped.

Above: The five Belouga BLG 66 dr'spensers carried by the Mirage 200A each contain 151 grrenadeS with either fragmentation, armourpiercing or high-explosive (concussion) effects, depending upon the target to be attacked.

4bf'

Ivtrodern Air-to-Ground Weap onry

I

-ffiy
,rir:+rr*.' l'l?en d tted to aircra{t sucil a's d?e ,l-i rit:n:narL A-Ehrfruief, i.'Iiodern 2Z 5-lzg ( 5A0' ibi av
.i 5 ()
-

A!: cv e : A iec&niryue rn ucir pra {:tEed ir V ie tn am ;+,as fie use efJead slips equ;p peC w'ith blind or
f

lfie:: mounled on lrlple ejeciorrec'ks, someflrn*s

.r.;i.'ii iwrs::aeks tr:

t:t:t { l,0AA -}ls}

e-1ts

(GeneraJ.PurI:ose) bornbs are

an underating &arJpoind.

precision bambing: equtpmenl o Jead' iorrna#oris cfiess weJf-egu ipped aircrait. The practice r:onllnues. with" typicaily, an F-J -l J griviin.g reJease
rnsiruelion"s
f a:

f '-4s.

US Naev A-7 Corsair being bambei :.:: irTustrafes,tlotJr the triple ordnance ejectar rac..:: and the high d.rag taitr attachments fitted ta stendard Jorar draEbombs" A n we apon r e lsas e :.- = iarge fins deploy outwards, acting as airbtak-': and slawing the bemll

Eelaw:A

.t:.

'i*ifi,
:'!1]s

-W4S;., ,:r:::.i5
:r'

;a

-_*

_4*t -

- i:..'.1t{

-Ktta,
:r:j.:;;airrr,
a,$

q':,"'!

'ir:::-":ks-

.._...,.: . 'i;**&si; .:tii!:

':i.'

.r., .

- -?rr*r,#

E
r=

USA

US

quided bombs

l:-e of the major technologies de;=.:ped for the Vietnam War was laser
rnrtrally a US Air Force project, -.exas Instuments helped in the de3-::dance for iron bombs. Although this

;eLcpment and ultlmately produced -:e kits for the Paveway laser-quided

r'.:=b family, This programme has ;:ked more than 30 different systems

s:cl :r::

::arkrng and identification, and allr=a'*rer and nlght-vision guidance

as airborne naviqation, target

a single weapon type. The first laser-guided bomb was dropped in

:-als during 1965, and by

Paveway

1971 the

-:e rcse and and tail of standard free=-r Teapons. The grurdance and con:::.':nis were identical for all the kits ::: te szes of the canard steering s-::a:es and tail assemblies varied

I family had gnown to elght ::-e:ent guidance hts for addition to

:rxrding

to the size of the bomb to be

:=s a ring iocated at its rear. After r;=ipon release, air flowtng over the :::g causes the seeker to weathercock

r:eC The nose-mounted laser seeker

EJiiEted on a two-axrs grimbal which

:-:: Lhe local airstream and hence !:irt approximately towards the
:-gefs location. The target

::]ated by an alrborne or

itself is illu-

ErrouldLa-<ed laser desigmator, and the seekpicks up the laser cn the bomb e-ergy reflected from it, and via the

Above: The use of precision guidance as applied to unpowered

:: ::ioard computer commands the ::irol surfaces to gnide the bomb to-

ordnancehas led to the distinction tween's m ar t' we apons and' ir on' or unguided bombs. Paveway, guided by laser, is one of the oldest and most effective s/stems.
be

;rards the reflected enerqy's source, The Paveway I family consisted of KIV{U-34?./B ht for the M]17 340-kg =e lrl-lb) demolition bomb, the KMU3514./8 ht for hiqh- and low-draq verof the Mk 84 907 ks (2,000-1b) GP =:m :cmb, the KVIU-37088 for the i36l-kg ::100-lb) MllBEi demolition bomb,
KMU-388A8 for the high- and 1ow=e jras versiors of the Mk BZ 227 -kg (500-cl GP bomb, the KMU-420/B for the US Navys Rockeye Mk 20 Mod 2 227-kg .-0C-Ib) cluster munltion which carried :.58 0.5-kg (1, I-lb) anti-tank fragmenta:on bomblets, and the KMU42I/B for re US Air Force's Pave Storm I907-kg :2 100-1b) cluster mumtron based on SUU-54 dspenser carrying around

way III, designed specrfically for

veloped and is to gto into production
shortly. launch at very low altitudes and sigmficant stand-off ranges, has been de-

A third qeneration family, the Pave-

At the same time that the original

Paveway proqramme was under way, Rockwell Internatronal was designingt the Homing Bornb System (or HOBOS) for the US Air Force as a series ofadd-

on modules to the larqer standard

bombs, but usrng initially an electrooptrcal TV image-contrast tracker ard

T he G BU - 1 5, unlike the P aveway sfsfem, makes useof anelectrooptical guidance system, with either

or

=e - 300 0.5-kq (1,]-lb) anti-tank fragt::entatron bomblets. The family was si:sequently modi-f,ed to exclude the l}{U 342 and KMU 420 kits, whilst the
454-kq (1,000-]b) GP bomb, Used ex:ensrvely in the Vietnam War, the famiL-,' is considered to be of the partral

then improved TV and IR gurdance seekers for use at night and in poor
weather. The kit designations are the KMU-3534/ts and KMU-3908 TV tmage-contrast systems and the KMU359,E IR system, All three can be fltted to either the Mk 84 GP bomb or the MllBEl demolition bomb, and comprise a gn-udance section mounted over the bomb's nose, a control module with fins on its rear and four strakes along the body to connect the tvvo assemblies,

infra-red seekers. At ctrrent

aircraft attack speeds, release range jssomeS /an (5 miles)evenatlow altitude. When the bomb is lobbed upwards, range k greater.
depending on launch altihrde; CEP about 9. I m (30 ft) Warhead: HE blast fraqmentation
Paveway I (Mk 84 bomb with KMU-

be desigmated AGM-130, is currently under development by the firm. This

wili utilize a rocket booster to triple the maximum low-altitude release range to about 24 km (15 mlles) to provide grreater aircraft and crew suwivability.

A powered version of the GBU-15, to

KrlU-4zIlB was switched to the US Na."1rs and US Marine Corps' Mk 83

A capability to carry and

rated,

351A,/Bpackage) Type: gnrided glide bomb

boosted kinetic-energy penetrator

submunitions is also to be incorpoThe US Navy is to procure the AGMl23A Skipper, which rs a Mk 83 bomb equipped with a Paveway II IR seeker and guidance and a Shrike ASM solidpropellant rocket motor. Like the AGM-I30, the Skrpper is to be used

dispense

launchweight:952.6 kg(2

100

lb)

-aunch-andleave weapon type as a d-rigmator Is required, but this is more --:ran offset by their night capability

r:ren used in conjunction with a desig:nior f,tted with a night sight; thrs capa-

capabilities yet further Rockwell

looked at a Modular Glide Weapon
System. This evolved rnto the GBU-15,

To enhance the HOBOS series'

Performance: rangte behveen I.5 and 18.3 krn (0.93 and I I.4 miles) depending on launch altihrde; CEP about 8.2 m (27 ft) Warhead: HE blast fragrmentation
HOBOS (Mk 84 bomb with KMU-3534/

bi-ity extends to poor weather as longr the cloud baSe is not below 760m - 500 ft), The carrying aircraft re:2 qlres no modification or elbctrical :cnnection and the bombs are treated
arnmunition. famrly was rEoduced into service wlth a new set

Bpackage)
Type: gurdedglide bomb Launchweight:952.6 kg (2, 100 lb) Performance: rangte between 1.5 and 24.4 lcn (0,93 and 15.2 miles) depending on launch altitude; CEP about 6. I m (20 ft) Warhead: HE blast fragmentation
GBU-15

which is now in service with the

US

arrd loaded as normal rounds of

In

1978 the Paveway

II

components and a folding wing lerofoil group which grreatly improves naloeuwabrlity. The weapons in this

l:

forces and Israel. The GBU-15 uses a cruciform wing module, a control module, a data-link module, a gnldance package and one of two warhead options, The actual configuration chosen depends on the tlpe of target to be attacked, the specific weather conditions and whether the pilot wlshes to attack the tarqret directly or indirectly using the data-link pod. The gmidance

against heavily defended targets to rnprove the launch platform's safety. Operators of the Paveway series are

Australia, Canada, Greece, the

ph:s others including (it rs believed)
Israei. Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps,

Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, T\rkey, the UK, US Air

B (Mk 82 GP bomb), GBU-I6BE or

GU-16C/B (Mk 83 GP bomb), GBU-

senes are the GBU-I2DE or GBU-I2F/ l0E/B or GBU-I0F/B (Mk 84 GP bomb) the American sewices and the Mk l&18IIK (454-kq/I,000-lb Mk 13/18 GP mmb) for the Royal Air Force.

i:r

seeker can either be of the electrooptical TV type or of the imaging IR varlety, The warhead is either the Mk 84 low-drag GP bomb or the SUU-54 dispenser with I,800 BLU-63 and/or BI:U-BO anti-tank fragmentation bomblets.

Specification
Paveway I (Mk 82 bomb wrth KMU3BBA,/Bpackage)

Type: Wided glide bomb Launchweight: 272.2 kq (600 lb) Performance: range between 1.5.and iB,3 krn (0.93 and I 1.4 mrles)

Type:gmided glide bomb Launchweight: I i I I kg (2,450 ]b) Performance: rangte behveen 1.5 and 82,3 kn (0.93 and 51. I miles) dependinq on launch altitude and whether or not a data{ink pod is used; CEP less than 6. I m (20 ft) Warhead: HE blast fraqrmentation

Guided Bombs in Aetr&wm

The tr e mendou s technological advances of the I 950s and I 960s in the fields of electronics, computerization
w arf are, with w eap on guidance e sp ecially tr an sf ormed.

and lasers had an enormous e{fectupon

The introductlon of the Laser-Guided Bomb (LGB) into the US Au Force weapon inventory
during
a

that the service had available a precision-

1968 for use in the Vietnam War brought new dimension to warfare. It was the first time

en:ided munition (of sufficient weight and with-

night and poor weather capability) capable of destroying in single hits enemy targets that

previoirsly needed large numbers of alrcrafi wrth sigrnificant payioads of standard iron bombs. During the 'Commando Hunt VIl'operations in the Steel Tiger area of Laos in late 1971 and early 1972, the LGBs proved of immense use in the second phase of the aerial interdiction programme, in which they were used at key points to cut roads along which North Vletnamese supply convoys ol tmcks used to travel. Once the roads were cut, the
surrounding area was seeded with ground sen-

sors and air-dropped land mines to form a

up sounds of the mines being cleared or the belt itself being bypassed, more strike aircraft were vectored in with LGBs or other munitions to attack the enemy force, In March 1972, when the North Vietnamese regulars operaiing in support ofthe Pathet Lao

'biocking belt': when any of the sensors picked

such aircraft as the Phantom (supported by a forward air controller in a Roclcwell OV-10 Bronco observatton plane wlth a 'Pave Nail' laser designator) proved devastating to Ncrth

moved against General Van Pao's Meo gmerril]a headquarters at T,ong Thien southof the Plain of Jars, they used a number of the long range M-46 130-mm (5. 12-in) artiilery pieces to bombard the site. The US Air Force, flying alr sup-

Vietnamese tanks in the area north of Hue, where the open terrain afforded little conceaiment, On one occasion, for example, a FAC operating at twiiight just north ol the South Vietnamese marine positions on the My Chanh riv-

The ability of lasers to pinpoint targets could nol be better demonstrated than in the steering of a g1}-kg (2,0A0-b) bomb through the driver's windaw af amoving truck.WithPaveway about, nobady can afford to relax.

'q:-1.,==j

port for the Meos, found that the

gn:ns

were

er ]ine found two armoured vehtcles near Route I: a PT-76 light amphibious tank was
tryrng lo extricate

difficult to spot and even more drfficult to destroy with conventional munitrons. Finally several LGBs were used io score direct hits. The grreatest test of the LGBs, especially the Mk 84 907-kq (2,000-1b) variant, came shortly afterwards during the North Vietnamese's Easter 1972 invasion of South Vietnam. This prompted the US government to order its air units to

dried-up stream bed, Alr support was sun-

a T-53

main battle iank irom a

moned and two Phantoms from Ubon arrived, one with a laser designator system and the other with LGBs, In the space of three miautes the tanks had been illuminated ln turn by the

resume the bombing of North Vietnam, One

particular target in that country whlch had

designator-carrying aircraft and dispatched rmth single bombs from ihe other aircrafi, . On 25 April at Fire Base'Charlie', which had
on the previous day been overrun by the North

been high on the target list since April 1966 (and which had been attacked on a number of occasions by both US Air Force and US Navy with hundreds ol iron bombs, as well as Bullpup and Walleye guided weapons) was the heavily defended Thanh Hoa rarl bridge. Thts target had cost the Americans a number of aircraft shot down together with aircrew kiiled, wounded or caphrred for a relatively poor return in damage inflicted on the structure. However, a single strike by the LcB-equipped McDonneil Dougias F-4 Phantoms of the 8th Tacticai Figthter Wingflying from Ubon in ThalIand destroyed the bridge, whose spans were dropped during the 6 April-30 lune blltz on
aircraft during the various bombing campaigns

Vietnamese on the way to Kontum, FACs controlled a fliQtht of the Ubon Phantoms to attack enemy troops and vehicies which were tryinE to take away undamaged South Vietnamese i05-mm (4 l3-in) Ml0I howitzers, Only three Mk 84 LGBs were required to take out three ol the gnrns and five of the trucks ihat were to be used to move them. Perhaps one of the most telllng uses of ihe LGB occurred in May, after 'Pave Nail'-equipped Broncos arrived in the Highlands to hetp defend Kontum and its covering fire bases and camps. A Special Forces camp came under lntensive North Viet-

The laser targetting can be carried out either {ror, ar'rhoi'nepods, sometimes carried by the attacking aivcraft, ar by ground troops acting as forward atssewers with portable laser equipment.

namese tank and rnfantry attack, and requested help from an FAC aircralt orbitlng

bridges that saw another

attacked.

105 bridges also

overhead; this FAC calledup a'Pave Nail'OVl0 and both arranqed to get LGB-egutppeci F-4D Phantoms lrom Ubon. The ground contact

Close support
North Vietnam, the LGB also proved itself in .South Vietnam in the tank-busting and closeAlthough extremely usefu1 in such attacks on

in the meantime came on to ihe air and reported that a tank was trying to crush the

rolied in and releaseci a Mk 84 LGB. The 907-k; (2 000-1b) weapon impacted right bestde lt:e tank, the force of the explosion picking the ia:-< up aird blowrng rt back into the camp's per-meler wire. There was then a long silence frc:the :rooper until hrs votce came on again -':-: sard 'What did you call that?' 'Pave Nail,' car::= the reply, to be answered by'l need about ti,': more,' Laser-guided bombs proved themselves irr= most accurate of the atr-delivered anti-armc r: ./r/eapons, but most of the North Vietnames= tanks destroyed by aircraft were actually hii L ,' standard 227'kg (500'1b) Mk 82 GP bombs de-vered mainly by South Vietnamese propelle:-

support roles, where friendly !oop,s-!9d attackers within their positions. The 907-kg (2,000-lb) and 136l-ks (3 000-1b) weapons
equipped with iaser seekers and carried on

camp's main command bunker and, overhearing the FAC's conversatton, innocently asked what a 'Pave Nail' was. Both FACs told the Special Forces trooper to stand by and they wor;id show him, The OV-10 then illuminated the tank in question wlth hls laser designator and one of the F-4s, which had lust arrived'

powered Cessna A-37 liqht attack aircrafi. E'.although these weapon/aircraft combinatlc:,: scored the most tank kills, they were not :. accurate as LGBs and proved highly vulne:able to ground fire compared wlth the hti:flying I GB-equipped F-4 Phantoms on :::
same mlsslon.

driven Douglas A-l Skyraiders and je--

GuidedBombs inAction
The next recorded combat use ofthe LGB by a Western nation occurred during the Falklands war of 1982 when the Royal Arr Force's BAe Harrier GR Mk 3s of No, 1 Sguadron were :aken south ior use in the ground-attack role. Standard 454-kq (i 000-1b) medium-capacity HE bcrnbs were converted to the I,GB conngn:ration by kits parachuted to the task lorce lrom long-ranEe Lockheed C-130 Hercules iransports on 27 May. The bombs were reieased singly in a climb from a pre-computed putl-up point to aliow the aircraft to remain

:'

:'

clear cf any air-defence systems. Only after the bomb had passed the highest point oiits trajectcry and begnrn its downward path was the target illumlnated by a ground-based Ferranti iaser designator, From the Tbio Sisters position on 13 lune, desigJnators were used during lndividual attacks by two aircraft in the course of the day. In each case the first bomb released apparently missed as a result of the target beinq ill'dminated too soon, but in each case the

follow-up attack with the second weapon scored direct hits, Squadron-Leader Pooks'

The ardnance to he guided are usually standard weapons, to which have been fitted a seeker head, wlrrclr senses fft e laser reflection fram a target, a

cantrol module, and moveable fins which controi

theflight.

attack destroying a 105-mm (4 13-in) M56 pack

hov,ritzer posrtion. More recently the Soviets have begun to use ihe LGB in Afghanlstan as part of an eflort to ieduce fixed-wrng alrcraft losses and lo assist

their ground troops when they are in closerange fire fights with the gnrerrrllas, There is
reason io believe that on severai recent occa-

sions conventional bombing attacks hat'e

caused more losses to the Sovret and government troops than the mujahadeen guerrillas, As more countries obtain the LGB, their combat use will become more widespread, and aithough not yet mentloned ln the context of the continuing Iran-iraq Gulf War, it cannot be long before LGBs are used, ifindeed they have not already been employed.
The combination of the sophisticated all-weathet capability of the General Dynamics F - j I I with the

precisian of laser-guided weapons proved deadly in the latter staEes of the war in.Vietnam.
ciuciform control fins

battenes

main

fuse

oneumatically driven control power units ccntrol module {orCata link module in commanduided models)

movable control seryices

umbilical connectlon to aircraf't

hrgh

erplosive

autopilot

470

fuioderm &ir-to-Gr*u,nd &V*aFe nrv

"*

-ffi;{e @ffi

eliminatingdifficult tatgets inNarth l'tetr :* -. - .providing the closesf of c,lo.se support in l.iie s: - :_
AsJongas a designatar cauld be held on a i.::.:
then an
.

Laser guidance was extremeiy usefuJ not a:.'.'

::

o! such a strike:s sftowrn J:ere againsi a .'as:..: : : . - -: truck. Such pinpoml targeftin g allowei a:': ...'. : be madewithout fear of hitting frieneiJy fcrces

air strike could be called ln; t.he acc:,-.-.

--

Left:'fhe HABCS, or horning bamb systei:r. :r'=; developed. in paraliel with the Pave.aay pr agr arnfi e. U su a liy ftt te d tc s a n d a r d !,ri r,: I 900 kq t lQQ6-16; or Mk I I B J360-kg rt.',6' -'' bombs and usir ally carried by McDonnell Dc:;.:: F-,t Phantams in5oufjr fasf "4sia . the ai.rina- :: (Electro-Optica.t) guided weapan reg::'re : '..- t

precisely anta target by centring it jn the crossftar'rs on the rnonitar screen r:r i,he coci:: : S ecur e Iy loc ked on, the weapon ll/as r eie r.c,: I j.:'. the aircraft then turr2ed away tosekcri a,re ;i'
tar-get.

W'SA (Weapon^Sysferns

eff

ce.',r rc ioc!: rne ::

:::

- .-

r:rtro
.1r 84

wire conduil
(

contrcl yr'i["s boresight and clectro'optica

bias se

qu cl!-c,: 5ys.ef, vr f;dow i cal see!ief

900-kg

,9B4lb) bomb

ecior p ugs i4)

::.--l strake bands

gurdance sectiof module

rnrage-co.tfis1 ttacket gyro sraot zecplaticrm

Dqring the Drcgon's lcrw

One of the hardest nuts to crack during the whole of the conflict in S ou th E as t Asia, the Th anh H o a bridge w as well named the 'Dragon's I aw' . I ts fall was essen tral, although many

previous attempts had only succeeded in costing valuable lives and aircraft. By 1972, however, thefamilies of 'smart' weapons in senice promised more success.

When the North Vietnamese invaded South Vietnam on 30 March 1972' it became painfully obvious that Hanoi had no desire to accept any- -settle.ment

other thah one dictated by a smashing military victory. On 6 April 1972, Amer-. ican aircraft once again were sent north of the DMZ to carry out a co-ordrnated interdiction campa-rln against the North Vietnamese logistic.network. Two of the taroets werd th6 ThEnh Hoa and Paul Doumer bridges. Since the bombing halt in T968 they had been repaired, and the rail lines crossing the bridges were being fully utilized. It ilras blear to the targeteers, mission planners, and strike pilots that destrovinq the Thanh Hoa and Doumer bridges would not be a simple task. They had takbn"their toll of US aircraft and pilots during the early years of the war, and there was no reason to suspect that the defences around them had been soitened. There was, howevei, a glimmer of hope echoing along the halls and in the briefing rooms of the fighter squadrons because some new weapons were now available for such a mrssion. A new family of 'smart bombs' had been introduced in South East Asia since the bombinq f''att in t gOB. These weapons consisted of Electro-Optical guided Bombs (EOGBs) and Laser Guided bombs (LGBs) in the 907-kg (2,0001b) and 1 361 -kg (3,000-lb) class. The EOGB was a contrastweapon, :imilar in concept to the Walleye first used in 1967 by the US Navy. The EOGB, however, was.a 907-kg bohb with a smallTV camera attached to the nose which transmitted a pictur6 of what it was viewing to a scope in the attack aircraft. The pilotwould boint the aircraft and weapon-at the taiget area, thereby allowing the Weapon Systems Operator (WSO) in the rear cockpit of the McDonnell.Douglas F-4 Phantom to find the target on the scope, rdfine the contrast aiming point and

was to lay a chaff corridor from the initial point to the target so that the eight bombladen F4s could operate in a relatively sterilized radar environment. Bad weather in the target area had been the cause of several last-minute postpone' ments of the mission, but on 27 April 1972 reports indicated the weather had cleared sufficiently over Thanh Hoa to permit the strike. On that day, the 1 2 Phantoms took off from Ubon, and the three flights of four aircraft each headed for an air refuelling area'where SAC KC-135 tankers were orbiting, waiting to off load extra f uelto the fighters. This f uel might be necessary should enemy fighters appear or should the RESCAP of a downed aircrew become a reality. Having some extra JP4 fuel might mean the difference between making one last turn to destroy an enemy MiG or being able to orbita downed crewm6n and provide suppressive fire against ground forces until SAR aircraft arrived. With several thousand kilograms of fuel obtained from the tankers, the
f

form the protective corridol in advance of the strike aircraft. However, as the strike airciaft approached the lP, a glance in the direction ofthe targel revealed heavy cloud cov6r which could hamper the use of the guided bombs. The heavy clouci iover and poor visibility preciuded the use of LGB illuminators to designate the target continuously, making it a day for the EOGB weapons. The aircraft carrying the EOGBs then positioned themselves for the strike, and let loose their weapons. The extremely heaw anti-aircraft f ire filled the skies with hundreds of white, grey and black puffs of smoke from exp]gding MA shells. A number of SA-2 SAMs were fired at the aircraft, but SAM effectiveness was reduced by the chaff - so much so that the Phantoms escaped without a scratch. Post-mission photo reconnaissance showed the damage to the bridge to be extensive enough to render it unusable to vehicle traffic. The EOGBs had severely shaken the structure, but stubborn to the end, the Dragon's Jaw would need one more
punch.

ighters headed for the bridge. The chaff delivery aircraft

had, gone

out in f ront.to

'Linebackerl'
On 1 0 May, Operation 'Linebacker l', the start of the increased interdiction effort in the norih was inltiated. Heavy air strikes were flown against targets in thg Hanoi-Haiphong area and reduced to rubble many key obiectives prevrously 'otf

desiqnate the tarqet to the weapon. Once this was accomplished, the-pilot wouid release the-bomb and quickly depart the target area, leaving the EOGB to guide itself toward the designated aini point. Target weather and cloud cover iras a factor when deliverinq EOGBs, but if the weapon could see the target when it was released from [he aircraft it would usually impact the aim point. The LGB was somewhat diff erent. A laser sensor was mated to the nose ot a 907-kg or 1 361-kg bomb which enabled it to guide itself toward a target illuminated #ith low poiver laser energy. The prob-lem of illuminating the target with this laser enerjy was solved by attaching a pod beneath the fighter ai.rcraft.This pod contained''an optical viewing system and laser emitting capability, both bperated bv the WSb in the back seil ot the fighter. With this system, the pilot cbuld poini his aircraft toward the target while his WSO optically locted the precisb target aim point and illuminated it with his laser equipment. The pilot would then" release his bombs and depart the target area, leaving the LGB. to guide itself to the target, which was kept under las.er illumination by a swivelling 6od or by another aiicraft with a lasertarget designator. An advantag,e of this bystem was that more than one aircraft at-a time cbuld drop LGBs on the same tirqet, with all weapons using the same illumination point to guide on. Both.the EO-GB and the LGB resulted in less aircrew exposure and greater accuracy than conventional weapons. A disadvantage was that the t-qrget had. to be continuously illuminaied by the laser Jor-the LGB to be effective. lf clouds obstructed'the view of th6 illumlnating pod the LGB would become an unguided bomb and probably miss the target. ihe new'f OCBsand LGBs weie given to the Bth Tactical FighterWing (TFW) operatinq F-4 Phantoms f rom Ubonhoyal Thai Air Base, Thailand. The Bth TFW was kno"wn as the 'Wolf pack MiG Killeis'- a name acquired for their effectrve: ness in destroying more MiG aircraft during Rolling Thunder than any other US tactical fiohter'wiio ooeratinq in North Vietnam. The wing, commanded at this time by C"olonel ino-"w brigadi6r General) Carl S. Miller, was soon to earn the title of 'Bririge Busters' as a ionsequence of the wing's use of the new weapons aqainst"the North Vietnamese supply system Between 6 April 1972 and 30 Jitne 1972. th Bth TFW F-4 airciaft were to destroy a lotal of 106 bridges, including the Paul Doumer and the Thanh Hoa, with the new guided lqtQt
dropped from F-4 aircraft.

limits'. After three days of 'Linebacker' activity, the Thanh Hoa bridge was once again highlighted on the daily mission orders, which was to be similar to that flown on ZI Aprtt except that the weather was forecast to be better and two additional aircrdft were icheduled, making a total of 14 strike aircraft. Guided bombs were on the agenda again; however, this time, nine 1361-kg LGBs would be used in conjunction with-15 907-kg LGBs and48227-kg (5001b) conventional bombs. On the morning of 13 May, the attacking {orce members annotated their maps with updated SAM plots and received final briefings on enemy ${
def ences, air ief uelling tracks, positions of supporting ECM forces and the SAR

procedures. The targel weathdr was briefed as good. The strike group took off bn schedule and rdndezvoused with the KC-135 tankers for the pre-strike ref uelling. The pilots then set an easterly course across southern North Vietnam to the tarqet area. Approaching the target, nbrth to the target Gulf of Tonkin, Tonkin. and from there north a\/an/^na nnr rld qeo weether forecaster trouble the weather could see that thA Jorecaster had been correct. No tr everyone some clouds were evident and the flights positioned for the attack. With the target in sight, the lead aircraft rolled in for the kill, unleashing his LGBs at the br-idge. Plane aJter plane followed, with each pilot hoping that the anti-aircraft flash6s on rhe ground did not signal a shot destined for his aircraft. As they dropped more bombs on the target, the last few pilots saw large clo-uds of dusi and belches of fire as the bombs exploded on the bridge. After the final

Known to theVietnamese asHam Rung, or the Dragon's J aw, the I 65-m (540-ft) long Thanh Hoa bridge was a massive reinforced concrete and steejstruclure, l 7 m (56 tt) wide.

I.
g!::.
*,::/

Apartfrom its innate strength, itwas prctected byamurderous

concenkation of light and medium anti-aircraft gruns.

improving its elecironic countermeasures (ECM) through the use of 'chaff'

ln add"ition to the guided bombs, US air power had increased its capabilities by

Operation'Freedom Dawn'
With the authorization to re-tnitiate the bombing of North Vietnam, several air operations plans were drawn up to satisfy -the interdictiorr requirements directed by ihe upper echelon planners. One of these plans, 'Freedom Dawn', included, among bther targets, ihe Thanh Hoa bridge. The plan called {or a small tactical strike fo-rce to destroy the Dragon's Jaw with the new iamily of guided
bombs. The operation was to be carrled out by 12 F-4 Phantoms from the 8th TFW, eight of them loaded with 907-kg guided weapons. A flight of four Phantoms

TheThanhHoabridge, 112 Im(70 miles) southof Hanoi,was a maior targetforUS air attack,Iocatedas itwas on the main road and rail route from theNorth into Laos and to SouthVietnam. Its destructionwould seriously hamper the movement of men, equi. and suppfies to the battlefields of the South.
1472
,, :::i,:+,i;#

:::iir'jil:g: .:.:;:]+g

Modern Airto-Ground
'- -aii had pulled away from the target. the strike pilots knew the bridge was .. -; and headed for home misson accomplished.

V,/e an oi''

r-."

',:

arrcraft haci been damaged,

' - - r. The

. .:ral months.

western span of the bridge had been knocked completely off its 1 2-m and the bridge superstructure was so criticaily .'gured and twisted that rail traffic would come to a standstill {or at least

..'se. Post-strike photography by RF-4Cs confirmed the strike pilots' assess-

even though the AAA and SAM fire had been

'tl thick concrete abutmeni

Early strikes against the bridge had shown that bambs of less ifiar {,.,' .:: ( 1,400 b) did litUe more then ficJcJe tlre massjvely cans truc te d b r : .. d ; t, .: : = I 972 strikes, the guiCed bombs were all in the gb1 to I 560 kg ( 2.aii-:c : . . . . cJass. Ihe af facks of 27 April and I 3 M ay were ta be the knoi ka ul p ;,: :.- : * r.- Dragon'sJaw.

by Ainerican air power. Guided bombs were used with increasing -..I riarity and success. 3'l the end of Mav 1972, there were 13 important rail br"idges down along the . .: rnajor rail lines running north east and north west from Hanoi. There were .^:rher four rail bridges down between Hanoi and Haiphong, and sevei-al more been dropped on the rail line running south from Hanoi.

..-lrlt

-'re nterdiction campaign against North Vietnam grew in intensity during May :"2, and the enemy LOCs showed signs of crumbling under the continuoL.is

l.j

i:i lti

--';

-::

/l

,,'i

The Dragonisdown - t:ough the bridge had been severely damaged on the 13 May strike,

:-b irous North Vieinamese immediately began to repair its structure so that ': lr-affic could again cross the Song Ma River. As a result, itwas necessaryto
.:redulestrikesperiodicallytohinderthei'epairefforts.Thenavyflewll more
-^ ssions against the Thanh Hoa bridge and the US Air Force two more missions ,::cre 23 Oatober 1 972, the day President Nixon stopped ail bombing o{ North :tnam. With this bomblng halt, the saga of the 'Dragon's Jaw' came to a close nough bombing bombinq would be seen over North Vietnam again aqain during'Linebacker durinq 'Linebacke - :nouqh in n December 1 972, the Thanh Hoa bndge br was not on the target list during the ;'r-rpaign, for it was stili in a state of disrepair

the

I he McDonnel! Douglas F-4 Phantom .as tlie mosf yers atile tactical e;:craft used by the USAF in South
last Asia. Il equipped the 8th TFW, casecf casecf al Ubon ln rn Thailand. ,Knawnas Knawn
,

t e'Walfpack MiG K illers', their .rcssessjon of tft e F-4 together with ::e new guided bombswas togive :nem a new nickname inthe spring of 72:they had become the'Bridge
:

!sters'.

't:.

UKWEST GERI\,4ANY

r rc

Hunting Enginee ring JP233 and Raketen-Technik GmbH (RTG) Mehrzweckwaffe-I (MW-l)

dispenserweapons
sed armoured units on the move. The submunitrons carried are thus divtded into two main{arget qroups that can be preset lust before flring to be scattered over an area about 500m (1,640ft) wide and up to 4000 m (13, 125 ft) long depending upon the target's nature and concentration. For the anti-armour

-: arm their Panavra Tornado strike ::ij lnterdiction aircraft, the Bntish West Germans independently de= :-;-ed and built large container dis:::.ser weapons for installation be:-:a;h ihe fuselaqre. The Hunting JP233, .--:cugh originally a joint venture with :-e Americans will be primarily used :r' ;e Royal Air Force In counler-at.r :!3ratlons to close Warsaw Pact =-lelds whilst retarning the capability

mission the MW-i carries GrouP

which comprises 672 M1FF antiarmour mines (each with two backloback HEAT warheads), or 4,500 KB44

:-ge s where large-scale disruption of :,-:-:ary movements is required, To

be used aqainst other types of

::::r'rplish

::s

these oblectives two types -^: s-;bmunrtions are dispensed: that r:s-gnated SG357 is designed to damand render inoperative such facili-

anti-armour/anti-personnel shapedcharge fragmentation bomblets, or a combination ol the two. Thrs version

has already entered Luftwaffe sewice,

:;:

::3?6

area-denial submunition is des-1eci as a continuous threat to vehi::s cr personnel trying to repair the ::::er damaqe caused by the SG357. - : ensure an effective cbverage of the ::rjet area, both types are dispensed :::-iltaneously in a co-ordinated sequ::-:e of 30 SG357s and 215 HBB76s =r:r-i Royal Arr Force Tornado will car:.' :io of the JP233 pods, and the discan also be conflgured for car:--;e by aircraft such as the General - ;-amrcs F-16 Frghting Falcon :- contrast wrth the British approach ::-: vVest Germans have developed ,,: RTG MW-I multi-purpose dispen.=: .f,r use aqainst airfieids and mas

;:a:s operating strips, whilst

as

concrete runways, taxiways and

the

minelets and MUSPA acousticallyactivated area-denial mines. This

means that to close- a runway effectively several Luftwaffe Tornados will have to overfly the runway to cut it with STABO-filled MW-ls whilst others sow the

deiayed-act ron fragmentation

whereas Group 2 for anti-airfield use will not be in sewice until 1987. This qroup comprtses either a single load of 224 STABO braked dual-warhead cratering munrtions or various combinations of 672 MIFF mines, MUSA

::-er

surroundinq areas wrth the mixed

loads of area-denial submunitions, The

Italian air force has also ordered the anti-runway MW-L 1n a modified form carrying only a STABO payload.

ATomado dkgorges a shower of submunitions from itsJP233

dkpensers. C onventional bombs can crater arunway, but holescan quickly

be filled; the 30 5G357 bomblets in the JP233 penetrate andfracture ahuge

area of the

ancrete surtace.

Left: As with most of the modern

family of dispenser weapons, the MW- I can carry a wide variety of submunitions, including anti- arrnour mines Ior dealingwith tank formations or crateringweapons to render enemy airfields unusable.

Above: The J P233 is more specifically desigmed for the airfield denial role,

with its cratering submunitions beingseconded by anti-vehicle and anti-personnel weapons desigmed to hamper any iunway repair efforts.

British Aerospace Dynamics Group/Marconi Space and Defence Systems Air-Launched Anti-Radar Missile

(ATARM)

Left: Similar to Sky Flash in size, the

ALARM missile has been chosen to provide the Royal Air Force with s ta te -of- the - art defence suppressron-

l:-= BAe/MSDS ALARM was de-=-:;:i o meet the early l980s rej--,:::-::: cf Air Staff Tarqet (AST)

.--: ,-:

,'.as rn oirect competltion '--.:- .:-: -:-:rerrcan AGM-BB HARM for = L:-.'al Air Force buy of around

2,000 rounds In july 1983 it was announced that the ALARM was the chosen mrssrle wrth the first production rounds to enter service in 1987.

enouqh for several to be carried on a strike arrcraft rn addition to its normal

interdiction payload. The weight is thought to be around 175 kg (385 1b),

and the weapon can be fltted to fixed-

machines such as the Panavia Tornado; the missile can also be installed on hehcopters.

BAe Hawk as well as to larger

it is an autonomous system light

The desrqn rationale of ALARM is that

wtnq aircraft down to the size of the

BAe Dynamics Group/Marconi Space and Defence Systems ALARM (continued)

No reliable specifications of the missrle have yet been released, but the config,uration appears to follow that of the Sky Flash AAM though with a larger body allied to smaller wings and control surfaces. TWo modes ofoperaf,on will apparently be used: the selfCefence mode, whereby the sophrsti-

Modern Air{o-Ground Weaponry

The sophisticated electronics and guidance planned Ior ALARM promise an extremely capable missile that can deal with a wide range of targets.Nevertheless, it is still in the early stages of

development.

cated Marconi broad-band seeker

locks onto an emlttlng radar whilst the missile rs still on the carrier; and the

defence-suppression parachute

mode, whereby the misslle is fued as the arrcraft approaches the target, The ALARM then zooms up under powmotor and pitches over to point down-

seeker then begdns a search for radar emitters. from which the most important sigmal rs identified, and then commands the missile to drscard the parachute and relight the rocket motor so

ered flight to a height of around i2i90m (40,000f1), where it cuts its

deployed after the motor is cut, The

-,vards at the end ofa drogme parachute

uses limited stocks of the American AGM-45 Shrike and the AS,37 ARM version of the Anglo-French Martel
ASM for the defence-suppression task,

source. At present the Royal Air Force

the missile can attack the chosen

=
\avy from

Instruments AGM-45 Shrike and General Dynamic AGM-78 Standard ARM *:*i..:,::r,,::i..:::i.",1rri.:.:.:..'::::.r:i,..:::.,\::::,==,=#
last delivery of a batch of AGM-78D2 mrssiles was made in Augnrst 1976, Ultimately both the Shrrke and Standard will be replaced by the AGM-BBA HARM, and curent operators of the

fi"*"r

dgr {F

Specialized anti-radar mtsstles .ARMs) were developed by the US

rlproving the suwivability of convenl95B onwards as a means

of

Based upon the AIM-7 Sparrow AAM airframe, the Texas Instruments Shrike has a largerwarhead andless powerful rocketmotor. Althoughused

:onal attack aircraft, either by deter:-ng the enemy from operating hrs de:ensive radar or by directly destroying --re radar's antenna, The flrst tactical iRM to enter production was the Texas Instruments AGM-4SA Shrike in --q63, This was essentially a Sparrow airframe wrth an enlarged blast:agmentatron warhead and a smaller :Jcket motor, Although used extens-'rely by the US forces in Vietnam, by -=ael against the Arabs and by the UK -:: the 1982 Falklands war, the Shrike :-as displayed a not altogether satisfac::ry performance as a result of design associated pnmarily wrth -rnitatrons ':e seeker, There are no memory cir:rts available, and this means that the :iutdown of the radar being attacked lauses the missile to go ballistrc, The -eker is also rigidly mounted, so the ::-ssile must be pointed towards the :{get at launch, and the seeker has to

extensively, the pertormance is less than satisfactory.

iiM

Korea, the US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Navy, The Shrke is in slighlly more widespread service, current operators including lran, Israel, the UK, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Navy

type are Israel (not certainly), South

Specification
AGM-45Shrike Tlpe: anti-radiation air{o -surface
missile Dimensions: length 3.048 m (10 ft 0 in); spanO,914 m(3 ft0 in); diameter 0.203 m (B in) Launchweight: 176,9 kg (390 lb) Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket motor Performance: speed Mach 2; ranqe 46.5 km (28,9 miles); CEP reasonable if the target radar continues to emit Guidance: passive radar-homing Warhead: 65,8-kg (1451b) HE blast fragmentation

:e tuned before take-off to the ;;avelenqth band of the radar system *lder attack, otherwise it cannot pick -p any emrssions, A total of 13 different -=ekers to cover likely target systems :-3s thus been developed, Total proit primarily on the McDonneil -es lcuglas P-4G Phantom 'Wild Weasel -l defence-suppression aircraft
USAF and US Navy was ai:out lB,50O.rounds, the larger numrer going to the former service, which

Above: The much larger and more

capab le S tand ard ARM ( foreground) is replacing the Shrike (background) inUS service. Developedfrom the

Specification
AGM-78 Standard ARM

Standard naval SAM, the ARM hx a memory cir cuit which en able s i t to attack aradar site evenwhen it has

stopped transmitting.

j:ction for the

Tlpe: anti-radiatlon air{o-surface

missile Dimensions: lenglh4,572 m (i5 ft 0 in); span 1,092 m (3 ft 7 rn); diameter 0,343 m (13.5 in) Launchweight:615, I kg (1,356 lb) Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket motor Performance: speed Mach 2.5; range 112,65+ km(70+ mlles); CEPgood even rfthe target radar ceases transmittrng Guidance: passive radar-homing Warhead: 97, 4-kq (2 14. Zlb) HE blast fragmentation

:lgether with the General Dynamics AGM-78 Standard ARM, The latter missrle was contracted in -366 because the Shrike's combat per::rmance was found to be bad, Desig:-ated AGM-78A Standard in its initial ::rm, rt was based on the Standard ::ipboard SAM and imtially equrpped ;nth the Shrrke seeker with all its faults. ?roduction soon shifted to.the AGM?8B version

with a gimballed widea

Below: Developed from

naval Above: The smallsizeof theShrike (seen here mounted on a Douglas Abeen used to great effect by Israel to deal with Syrian missj,le sjfes rn t/re

:and seeker and

::quired no pretuning, thus permitting ir attack even ifthe radar had ceased :mitting signals. An AGM-78C variant Tas then produced for the US Air

memory circult thal

area defence mr'ssilg tfi e Slandard ARM has the excellentrangeofover I I 2 km (70 miles). ?fie mrssi,le is also available to be fired from Standard-

:crce, the subsequent AGM-78D and AGM-78D2 models further increasing

equipped ships for the anti-radar role-

4Slqhawkof theUSNavy) limits the

electronic fit. Neyerlheless, ifft as

Lebanon.

-:e seeker capabilities, Over

::ulds

3,000

had been burlt by the time the

fi"*",

Instnrments AGM-884 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM)

Although the Standard ARM was an improvement on the Shrke, its combat performance in Vietnam was still not very irspiring as its memory circults proved less than satisfactory, Also the Standard was five times costlier and
three times heavier than the Shrike, so a requirement for a new ARM was estabhshed. The result was the Texas

Similar in appearance to the Shrike missile it will replace, HARM (Highspeed Anti- Radiation Mis s ile) is a larger weapon with a greatly improved pedorm ance. I t will ak o replace the S tandard ARM, having similar perform ance with mu ch

improved electonics.

Instniments AGM-88A HARM, whlch

emphasizes high speed so that any defending radar operator has only mini mum warning times to 'shut down' his system; this attacker's advantage is

multiplied by the fact that the launch

platform does not need to execute any characteristic launch manoeuwe, Initial development of the HARM began in late 1969 by the US Nary, but progEess was halted by severe techsolved until 1973. Further delays were then experienced with the Texas Instruments gnridance seeker and initial production deliveries were not made until 1983. The missile has three modes of operation: the self-protection mode, in. which a threat receiver on the lar.rnch platform detects a radar stgnal and programmes the missiles seeker

nical problems which were not re-

Travelling at more than 3200 km/h (2,000 mph), this sequence of HARM in its final approach would take a split second. Designed to use its very highspeed to give the opposingradar operator as little time as possible to switch off whendetected,HARM destroys its targetsbymeans of a66-kg(145-lb) high-explosive blastwarhead.

before

opporhrnity'mode, in which the sensi tive seeker on the missrle itself locks on to an emitting radar; and the 'prebriefed' mode, in whrch the missile is fired blind in the general direction of a possible target with its seeker searching for a sigmal onto which the missile can home, In the last mode, failure to detect a signal initiates a programme for self-destruction, Lrke its two predecessors, the HARM can also be fued in a 'loft' manoeuvre to increase its rangre, the target being acquired on

it is flred; the 'target-of-

the downward portion of the trajectory, The warhead is detonated at a

preset height over the tarqet by a laser proximity fuse in order to maximize damage to the antenna and electronlcs.

Specification
AGM-884
Type: anti-radiation air{o-swface missile Dimensions: Ienqth 4. 171 m ( 13 ft 8.2 in); span 1, I 18 m (3 ft B in); diameter0,254 m(I0 in) Launch weight: 36 1. I kg (796 lb) Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket Performance: speed Mach 3*;range 74.4+ Urn(46,23* miles); CEPvery good

Guidance: passive radar-homing Warhead: 65,8-kg (i45lb) HE blast

fragmentatlon

Carried on a Mfionnell Douglas F-4G Phantom, HARM missiles are j ust entering U S seruice. I nitial requirem ent was for almos t 7 00

jssj/et a t a u nit cost of nearly a million dollars per missile , with even
to be

years to come,

larger numbers

procuredin the

E
In

fit"itts AGM-69A
Air Force besan de-

Short-Ranse Attack Missile (SRAM)

velopment of the Boeing AGM-694

SRAM, for use primarily against major

1964 the US

defensive rnstallations deep within

enemy terrltory whilst the launch platform remains outside the enemy's engagement zone, The missile was also

required to atlack main-mission

carrier ofthe type is the Boeing Stratofortress, the B-52G and B-52H models each being able to carry 20 missiles, The more usual load is six or eight SRAMs as well as four tree-fall thermonuclear gnavity bombs. The General Dynamics FB-i I 1A can carry uP to stx SRAMs, but those aircraft which do

flight for the terminal phase; and a combination of inertial and terrainfollowing. Each profile can further be enhanced by the progrrammrng into
the missile's onboard guidance system of deviations in direction of up to 180".

E quipping S tr a tegic

Air C omm and's bomber force, the AG M - 6 I A SRAM ( S hor t R ange Attack M issile ) is mainly designed for interdiction duties deep behind enemy lines. chosen according to the target type and the damage level required. The missile's computer can be retargeted
at any time up to launch, The SRAM is expected to stay in service for a number of years to come,

targtets as well rf they were suttable or iJ they had exceptionally heatry antt-

aircraft defences. The first production round was delivered to the Strategic Air Command in 1972, the last of 1,500

weapons load only have just two, Four basic flight proflles can be utilrzed in an attack: semi-ballistic from the point of launch to the tarqet; alti-

carry them as part of their normal

berng delivered three years later,

Some I,150 SRAMs currently remain in

the operational inventory, The major

1476

meter-controlled terrain-following; ballistic pull-up ftom behind screening terrain using inertially-gurded

what launch altitude and flight profile is chosen. Once over the target the warhead can either detonate on contact to Qnve a erround burst or at a preset altitude to glve an air burst nuciear explo-

The range depends entirely upon

sion, the type of explosion being

Specification
AGM-69A Type: short-range airto-surface strategic mrssile Dirnensions: length4,267 m (14 ft 0 in) io internal carriage or 4,826 m ( 15 ft -0 in) for external carriage; span i.762m(2 ft6 in); diameter0,445 m 117 5 in) Launchweight: 1016 kq (2,240 Ib)
Propulsion: two solid-propellant

:ocketmotors
Performance: speed Mach 3, 5; range between 56,3 andB0.5 km (35 and 50 riles) at low altitude, or behveen 160,9 ind 221, 3 km ( 100 and 137. 5 miles) at
:-Lgh

altitude; CEP 457 m (500 yards)

Guidance: inertial Warhead: W69 17O-kiloton yield

:,uclear

is carried by Boeing B-52G bombers andby theFB-[ I I ofSAC. The SRAM's Mach 3.5 speed and low:evel range of up to 80 km (50 miles) allow bombers tomake stand otf .ttacks.
S RAM

ffi

iit"insAcM-86 Air-Launched
Cruise Missile (ALCM)
With a range in excess of 3000 km (1,850 miles), theAGM-688 gives the

:.: Boeinq A.LCM is the result of a US .r-: Force requirement to provide an

=-:-launched strategrc weapon for de:.:yment on the Boernq B-52 bomber =:-i successor designs. i he onginal AGM-864 was to be in-

=::hangeable with the AGM-694 ::.AM on the latter's internal B-52

=-;rt-round rotary launcher, However,

will enable its bombers to make strategic attacks without having to face the task of trying to penetrate modern defences.
USAF a weapon which

the missrles range for a grven warhead,

::rause the weapon was considered

'-

In

1980,

following

considerable de-

range, and because of a , :!artment of Defense's 1979 decision - :cld a fly-off between the AGM-BOA --.i the General Dynamics AGM-109 - ,:-Lahawk cruise missile, a considerstretched version, the AGM-868, --_,' '.< produced, This was some 30 per
.oe short on

lay rn announcing the results, the US Arr Force revealed that the AGM-B6B
was the chosen weapon. The flrst tv\ro rounds were delivered to the Strategic Air Command in 1981. The B-52G is

bomb bay of each aircraft ts to be rebuilt to accommodate an additional eight ALCMs on a new rotary laun-

same external pylon load, but the

SRAMs and free-fall nuclear bombs, The more modern B-52H will have the

ned before productLon j,',-.-::.-.r Advanced Crurse MssLl- :=:.;-

' :
::

B-52H aircra{t are being mocii:.: accept a rotary ALC M |aun c h e : -:

,-:.

Ionger and effectively doubled

being modified to carry 12 AGM-BOB missiles on two underwing pylons whilst retaining its internal load of

cher. The follow-on Rockwell B-1B will be able to contain the same rnternal rotary launcher and up to 14 more ALCMs will be carried on external racks, A total of 4,348 ALCMs rs plan-

their bomb bays. Crujse m jss:- e carriers are to be fitted with spr::..

leading edge extensions, in accordancewith the SALT trea:-5-: : -enable identitication by surve : - z:. :e
-

sate/fites.
ii.i:
::,-t

Boeinq AGM-86 ALCM (continued)

Specification
AGM-868 Type: au-launched strategic cruise

nrssile
Dirnensions: length 6.325 m (20 ft 9 in); span3.658 m (12 ft 0 in); diameter
3.693 m(27,3 in)

launchweight: 1281.4 kg(2,825 lb)

Propulsion: one h.rbofan

Performance: speed 805 lcr/h. . (d00 mph); range 3138 kn (1,950 miles); CEPbetween 10and30 m(32.8
and 98.4 ft)

Guidance rnertial with terrain contour

updating
Warhead:
WBO- I 2OO-kiloton

yleld

rucieat
M aj or carrier of ALCMs will be the Rxkwell B- I B bomber. Until it enters service, the trusty old B-52 (some of

will remain the primary delivery sys tem. The B- I B will carry I missiles internally and 26 onunderwing pylans.

which are older than their pilots!)

ughes/IVlartin AGM-62 Walleye

isa3.54 m(11 ft4 in)grlidebomb with a 375 kg(825Jb) shapedcharge warhead in its original torm. Later
models have
a

JS Naval Weapons Center at China

Developed from 1963 onwards by the

Right: Television guided, the Walleye

,
r

-ake, with first production deliveries by Hughes in 1966 and by secondsource contractor Martin Marietta in
HugheVMartin AGM-62 Walleye family of TV-gmided unpowered
1967, the

:'

much greater

warload.

glide bombs entered rnto the

US

Navy's weapon inventory in the latter I'ear. The first version was the AGM-

62A Walleye I, of which 4,531 were produced, This could be carried at loeeds up to Mach 1,9 and be launft), It was r.sed extensively in iire Vietnam War, 920 being used tn 'ire 1972 'Linebacker Ii' missions alone. iis tarqets were mainly large buildings -rnth interior contrast wlndows and va:35,000

:hed from altitudes up to

10670 m

nous types of bridgtes. Against the 'soft'

wooden bridge structtues the results

were excellent, but when a

'hard'

bridge (requiring a span to be des:oyed) was attacked the result was

':sually only bent girders. As the warhead was not large enough to attack

such 'hard' targets, Martrn Manetta :onverted 1,481 of the Walleye Is and b'rnt 529 new missiles to the lonqerrangre Walleye II confignrration, with a ,";arhead over twlce the original size
aad a new seeker with a smaller 'gate' :cr shghtly grreater accuracy, The Walleye gmrdance system allows the pilot :c lock-on before launch, Iaunch the -;eapon and then exit the area, The :nly requirement is that the selected i3Jget must contrast sharply (in visual .iems) with its surroundings so that the giyro-stabilized TV camera in the Wal-

leye I and

2 400

Walleye II rounds

miles). The Walleye is also used by

Israel.

ieye's nose can be 'gated' before

have been converted to this configuration. The US Navy prefers to use a tvuo-

launch to remain pointing at the area of :lgh contrast and thus gmide the missile in flight. As it closes the tarQlet the ,Valleye II gains accuracy since the -r:agre it sees is expanded in the TV {,'stem's field of view, To extend the range of the missile

aircraft formation with this weapon, one to carry and launch the missile,
and the

Specification
Walleye series Tlpe:gmided glide bomb Dimensions: Iength (Walleye I) 3.454 m (11 ft 4 in) and (Walleye II) 4,039 m (13 ft 3 in); span (Walleye I) 1, 156 m (3 ft 9.5 in) and (Walleye II) 1,295 m (4 ft 3 in); diameter (Walleye I) 0.3 1B m ( 12, 5 in) and (Walleye II) 0.457 m (18 in) Launchweight: (Walleye I) 512.6 kg (1,I30 lb) and (Walleye II) 1061,4 kg (2,340Ib) Performance: range (Walleye I) between LB and 29.6 kn (1,12 and 18,4 miles) and (Walleye II) between LB

it manually all the way to the tarqet using the data-link pod, Three ERDL Walleye IIs were combat-tested

other to order lock-on or qxde

Walleye II is seen aboard an US Navy Corsair . Most recent development o{ Walleye has centred around the ER/ DL modification; larger wings extend the glide range and enhanced electronics allowthemissile to be released before lock-on, subsequent guidanie being prov ide d by a d ata

link.
and 45 km ( 1. 12 and 28 miles), while ERDL versions have a maximum range extended by at least 30 per cent; CEP between 4,6 and 6. I m (15 and 20 ft) Warhead: (Walleye 1) 374,2-kg (825-lb)
HE linear shaped charge, and

srll farther, a lock-on-after-launch ;ariant was introduced, Thrs requlred a --ffo-way datalink so that the pilot in -:-e retinnq aircraft could see the TV prciule in order to select a tarqet and o:mmand the lock-on, The result was

against targets irursible to the pilot at

the time of launch during the 1972 bombinq of North Vietnam, and all
three scored direct hits. A nuclear ver-

ire

(ERDL) Walleye, which entered initial production in 1972, A total of 1,400 Wal-

Extended-Range Data-Link

sion of the Walleye I, with the 100kiloton yield W72 warhead, was also operated by the US Navy between 1970 and 1979. Against tank-sized targets the maximum range of most of
the USA's gnrided weapons is 4.8 km (3

(Walleye II) B6 l.B-ks (1,900-lb) HE linear shaped charqte

Area Deniql Weapons

While battle across the Central Front in Europe remains an unlikely prospect, military planners nevertheless have to respond to a potential threat. Given the currentSoviet numerical superiority in conventional terms, NATO has to consider methods of dealing with multiple targets with one
shot.
Designed specifically Surprisingly lsrael, which has had more combat experience than most agains: the whole spectrum of targets likely to be encountered during air-to-surface operations in any future war, has not been seen to use area-denial weapons o= the types described above. lt prefers instead to rely on more conventional iror bombs with simple delay-action fuses and on ihstantaneous effect CBUs sucr' as the TAL-1 and TAL-2.
The Soviets have in contrast used a number of area-denial weapons du ring the

to prevent passage of enemy troops and vehicles, the

with a number of submuni-

Afghanistan war, where for example helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have dropped canisters that dispense in flight large numbers of small irregularlrshaped plastic PFM-1 minelets filled with sufficient liquid explosive to blow of: a
person's hand or foot, This is a particularly eff ective weapon against the mujahadeen guerrillas, who have to walk and to use animals to carry their weapons ani supplies. ln the same category must be placed the persistent chemical agentfilled iron bomb and shell, which significantly restrict or totally prevent movement by unprotected personnel and equipment over any section of terra n contaminated with an agent that is lethal to humans by skin .absorption or' inhalation. The Soviets have used such bombs in Afghanistan, and the lraqrs have used similar munitions against the lranians in recent months. A slightly different situation is covered by the very large mine-dispensir-c systems used by helicopters. These are typified by the Valsella VS/MD scatterhelicopters. This system usually carries a mix of VS-1 .6 anti-armour and VS-50 c' VS- lVk 2 anti-personnel mines, which are laid as part of a large'quick' react.cr minefield during rapidly changing tactical situations such as an enemy brea<-

area--denial weapon usually consists of a dispenser

tions in the form of bomblets or mines fitted with one or more type of fuse,
These last may be of the delayed-action type, whereby the submunitlon becomes live on ly after a preset time period has passed; or of the permanent f use type, ',vhereby the device is live f rom the moment of laylng and remains so until it is
,,veapon is live when laid but after a preprogrammed time renders itself some-

ietonated by an external source; or of the self-destruct type, whereby the

row inoperative, or more simply explodes.

guideline, were especially gifted in developing munitions of this type. The US Air -crce's latest example is the current Gator anti-armour mine system. Designed 'cr laying from high-speed aircraft of all the services for interdiction of second:chelonJorces in assembly areas and on the march, the Gator has as submuni-

The US armed forces, using the experience of the Vietnam War as their

dropping unit for carriage as an underslung load by medium- or hearry-l -:

:ons the Honeywell BLU-g1/B magnetic influence anti-tank mine and the

selectable self-destruct times, the chosen period being set on the dispenser refore the mission. A total of six Cluster Bomb Units (CBUs) have been iden:fied with the system: the CBU-78/B and CBU-84/B each carry both types of ne, the CBU-82/B and the CBU-8S/B carry the BLU-91/8, and the CBU-83/B CBU-86/B carry the BLU-92/8. 'rC in European circles the British have not had the same inclination to follow this :;th, but instead have evolved the Hunting Engineering JP233, which will be -sed with a cratering submunition and an area-denial weapon to prevent repairs :: lhe area damaged by the cratering device. The West Germans have taken this concept further with their MW-1 multi:-'pose dispenser, for which they have produced a whole range of predomi-:ntly area-denial type submunitions. These are subdivided into two mixes for -s: against specific classes of targets.

rerojet BLU-92/B anti-personnel fragmentation mine. Each mine has three

through. This particular field is well covered by the ltalians, although l!es: Germany and the UK are now explorlng the possibilities. For the future the adaptation of 'smart' submunitions to area-denial technc :gy is obvious, a case in point being the development of the Extended-Raro: Anti-armour Munition (ERAM) for use in the US Air Force's Tactical Mun'i:i Dispenser, the SUU-65/B, to iorm the CBU-92/B munition. The ERAM is ejec:e: randomly over the target area and floats down on a parachute. Once on :r: ground, the weapon's three acoustic sensor probes are extended and tne r,',: Avco Skeet self{orging fragment (SFF) warheads are armed. When a targ3: : detected, classified and tracked by the probes, the onboard data process:' calculates the target's f uture position and aims the f irst Skeet launcher tor.,: -:: this point. The Skeet is then launched, engaging the target from above w l- :-: SFF warhead; the ERAM has in the meantime swung back to start a sweec':'
another target.

Above : An S UU (Suspended Underwing Unit) dispenser shows its load of ERAM submunitions. Each of

Avco S keet mines, each equipped with infra- red and acousfic sensors. When dropped fft e canrsfer sfi eds jts
mines after deploying
a

thenine submunitions carries two

parachute.

Above:Once on the ground, the ER AM su bm unition de ploys i ts three

acoustic and infra-red sensors. Once an armoured vehicle is in range the mine fires one of its Skeet munitions (like a clay pigeon, hence the name) to explode directly over the target.
Left: ERAM before

ground

deployment. If the Skeets do not find a target once launched, they do not explode, but tall to the surface where they act as conventional mines. Thus ERAM can be used to attack both tank formations and lines of communication.

Above: Explosion of an anti-armour submunition after detecting a tank. By launching the weapon high in the air above the tank the explosion can be directed onto the weakest point in the armour of a modern tank, the top.

Above: The force of the exploding shaped charge forms a dart-shaped penetrator out of a disk of copper in the Skeet, which is then prcjected at very highvelocity to the thinner top surface of the target. It can also explode upwards when run over by a

tank.

ffi

iTugt es AGM-GS Maverick

Only2.49 m(8 ft2 in)longand weighing from 2 I 0 kg (463 Ib), Maverick is the smallestfire-andforget missile in the USAF's tactical inventory. It has been manufactured in avariety of guidance systems, includinglR and laser.

Smallest of the fully-guided launchandleave ASMs for the US servtces, ginally a US Arr Force programme but has now been adopted for both the US Navy and Marine Corps, The basic centroid TV homing version, the AGM65A, entered US Air Force servrce in january 1972, and at least 30 were flred in combat during that year in Vietnam; another 69 were fired by Israeh pilots against Arab tarqets durrng the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Although scoring 87 hlts, the missile was found to be severely limited in use because of the low magniflcatron of its TV camera, which iorced pilots to close to well wrthin the maximum launch range in poor weather just to see the target clearly enough to achieve a lock-on. To overcome this
the Hughes AGM-65 Maverickwas ori-

problem the AGM-658 scene-

magniflcatron version was next produced, This has the TV image magnif,ed to twice its previous size and made clearer, thus enablingr the pilot
to rdentify the target, lock-on the missile and fire rt much more quickly and at a greater slant range than that ofthe

AGlt-65A,
The follow-on version was the AGM65C for the US Marine Corps, whrch was laser-guided for use in the close-

support role against targets designated by ground-based or airborne laser designators. The latter can be any of the Pave Knife, Pave Penny, Pave Spike or Pave Tack systems, or
even a compatible non-US designator,

This weapon was superseded in

kg

L9B2

tection system now being fitted to Falcon flqhter and Parrchild A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft,

position selectable fuse delay. In May 1977 Hughes began development for the US Air Force of the AGM-65D with an imaging IR seeker that enables the Maverrck to lock on at a range at least twice the distance otherwise possible in European areas in mrst and rain or at niqht. It will be the standard missile used with the LANTIRN nigiht and adverse-weather de-

mentation warhead with a three-

by the AGM-65E, which has a 136(300-1b) penetrating blast frag-

Abov e : The s tandar d M averic k can be locked on to a target by the pilot of the releasing aircraft centring the potential target on the monitor
screen in his cockpit. The infra-red version has a similar method of operation, with the added advantage of being effective at night or in bad weather.

USAF General Dynamics F-16 Fighting

The US Narry will adopt the AGM65F, which rs essentially the same as

the AGM-65D but wrth the warhead

and fuse of the AGM-65E and modified

guidance soflware to give maximum

effects against surface shrps, Weapons

Right: Mavericks are loaded onto a F airchild A- 1 0 while on deployment to Egypt as part of a'Bright Star' exercise. The missile is in use with the Egyptian air force aswell as the air forces of I 2 or more countries. T ot al production of W M averic k alone is approaching 30,000 missiles.

cf the AGM-65 series are fielded by

Egypt, Greece, Iran, Israel, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey,

US Air'Force, US Navy, US Marine

Corps and West Germany, Others are

Specification
AGM-6SMaverick
Type: air{o-surface missile Dimensions:lenglh2.499 m
(B ft 2 in);

span 0 719 m (2 ft 4.3 in); diameter 0.305 m (12 in)

believed to be negotiating for the type.

4iii4.,.,:,:::,::,

Launchweight:210 kg (463 lb) except AGM-65HF 287,4 kq (633,6 1b) Propulsion: solid-propeilant rocket Performance: speed subsonic: range between 0,9 and 24 2 km (0 56 and 15 miles); CEP about I 5 m (5 it) except AGM-65C/E which rs less than this

figure

t==-=

Guidance: (AGM-65A B/ TV Lmaging, (AGM-65C/E) laser-homing and (AGM-65D/F) imagins IR Warhead: 56.7-kg (125-lb) HE shaped charge except AGM-65E/F 136, i-kg (3001b) HE penetrating blast fragmentation

Apair of AGM-65 Mavericks are

carried under the wing of a McDonneil Douglas F-4 Phantom, the first aircraft to fire the missile in anger in Vietnam in I 97 2. AIso used in the Yom Kippur war of I 97 3, the W Maverick requires good viewing conditions to be most effective.

Armed Forces of the World

BrifishArmU
any army, that of the UK is divided into : rferent arms of the service, but the British army -:tains a regimental system that extends beyond :^e old infantry and cavalry allocations to all other .-ms. Very basically a soldier joins the army into a ':giment or corps, and then remains with it through:rt the main part of his service career. This is parti:-larly true of the cavalry and infantry units and to a :sser degree the technical or other arms. lt is possi: . to transfer from one arm to another (e.9. from .-e Royal Artillery to the Army Air Corps), and

Par,Z

:s with

.l

:-icers can take staff postings as opposed to regim-

::?*
-! ..+*.1

''st.

=-tal postings. The 'teeth' arms will be considered

The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC)

,-:
.

-he Royal Armoured Corps contains many of the - : cavalry regiments plus the RoyalTank Regiment
ls divided into armoured regiments, equipped

:^ tanks, and armoured

reconnaissance regim-

=-rs, equipped with the Scorpion family of recon-

-:-'s of duty
-:

-:

ssance vehicles. The various regiments carry out

in their specific functions. and the

---sehold Cavalry regiments in addition carry out := :cmbat duties. There are also two Territorial ---y yeomanry regiments who carry out recon-

-'s of

ceremonial duties interspersed with tours

ssance functions using the Fox reconnaissance :le. The RAC also operates the Swingfire long=-.-ge anti-tank guided missile.

-:

The lnfantry

tracks (M1 10, 175-mm/6.89-in M107, 155-mm/6.1in M10942 and 105-mm/4.13-in Abbot). Units based in the United Kingdom use either the 1 55-mm {6.1in) FH-70 or the 105-mm (4.13-in) Light Gun, both of them towed weapons. Most of the 105-mm (4.13in) and 1 55-mm (6.1 -in) Field Regiments (regiment is

British reconnaissance regiments are equipped with the Alvis FT I 0 I Scorpion, seen here exercising on Ascensrbn Is/and. Powered by a military version of the J agru ar 4. 2 litre en gin e. i t h as good acceleration and can reach 80 kml h (50 mpkt onroads.
unlt and also provides support when requireo cialist reglments include an armoured engineer- ':9iment equipped with specialized armoured engineervehlclesand mobile bridges (the Cer-i-' :AVRE and the Chieftain AVLB), and an ampn r

-re

.--.:gth of the army. and there are in all 55 infantry

:

infantry regiments make up the main

the RA's term for a battalion-sized formation) has three batteries each with eight guns. The RA also
has under its control Blowpipe/Javelin air defence missiles and the Towed and Tracked Rapier airdefence units. The RA also has its own locating

- .,'ative purposes, these battalions would be

: -: 'rom the Territorial Army. The modern infantry :;::: ion is a powerful force containing four (some- -:s three) companies each of three platoons and a -==:quarters platoon. Each battalion has its own '--sipport mortar platoon, an anti-tank element

=.::iions. Lumped together as divisions for admi-

- -:d in emergency by a further 38 infantry batta-

regiment with surveillance drones, sound ranging

and survey elements, and is soon to have its own computer-based command and control system. All batteries already have their own fire-control computers,

engineer regiment
bridge/ferry.

3:c.-::: :-: equipped with the M2 r:: :

.-: : pioneer engineer

platoon. The battalion is also . . . :ced with night-vision equipment, its own sig-= s element, and some battalions have variable =,:ons increments to suit local requirements. A -=,.. nobile anti-tank force equipped with Spartan/ s to be formed soon. -':ntry based in BAOR is classed as mechanized -"-:ry and travels in the FV432, scheduled to be emented by the MCV-80. Some battalions

The Royal Engineers (RE)

The Royal Engineers help the rest of the army to move, live and fight, and basically provides military engineering support to the rest of the army (and the

The RE also contain an explosive ordnan:e : .posal (EOD or bomb disposal) regiment, a sp3: : postal and courier element, and a mapping anc s-1
vey element, and also provide divers. There are a numerous other specialist units including the :ary Works Force (MWF) which acts as a 'consJ ::-* cy' service on many aspects of military constru:: : and operations. The RE also have an inter-sen, function in the support of the RAF'S Harrier sc.ac-

\'

.:

' :-

other services as well). They practice the whole

range of combat and military engineering from the construction of battlefield obstacles, combat bridging, demolitions, water supplies, road building and repair, construction of f ieldworks and shelters, mine warfare and clearing, and so on. For these purposes the RE is organized into field engineer regiments each wlth two or three squadrons, plus a field support squadron which acts as an equipment holding

::

,,:: :;.=: n the United Kingdom but scheduled for : :. -: n time of war will use the new Saxon -.: ed armoured personnel carrier. Infantry batta--= lased in the United Kingdom and elsewhere :-: :ased on the 4-tonne truck. The infantry includes '-= ',,'e battalions of the Brlgade of Gurkhas.

rons.

The Rapier missile system is designed to destroy

fast

warheads are fittedwith an impact {use.ln i,981 the British army ordered a further 50 Rapier
C orpor ation M 54

low-flying airqaft; its accuraqt is such that

systems mounted on aversion of the Ford I C argo C ar r ier.

Motor

The Royal Artillery (RA)

-": e Artillery Company, the Royal Horse Artillery ,-: :-e Royal Artillery. ln practice the Royal Horse
:-

--:
:

Royal Regiment of Artillery includes the Hon-

-,'

-:
-

:.

(RHA) operates in the same manner as the Artillery, apart f rom acting as a standard-setter :-3 rest of the gunners, while the Honourable :ry Company (HAC) is a Territorial Army unit - :eremonial, social and observation post func-

.ry

--: --:

==::rs ' 'I

3A holds and fires the army's only nuclear (Lance missiles and the 203-mm/B-in

self-propelled howitzer), both of which oper-

:-r oart of BAOR. BAOR holds the bulk of the "-: -- . : artillery strength, most of it self-propelled on

Armed Forces of the World

\2

YtoY

f)

-- c>

BritishArmy
The lntelligence Corps

ffi

its own 'naval'arm with a specialist Maritime Regiment operatjng landing craft, logistics carriers and
even a special ammunition-carrying ship. There are also some smaller craft under RCT control.

Often known as the'i Corps', this corps has two main functions: combat intelligence and security. Neither is easy to describe in a few words but basically combat intelligence is the provision of as much

The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) The RAOC may be regarded as the army's
storekeepers, but its operational role is much more than that of supplying stores from static locations. The RAOC moves wth the army wherever it travels or operates, and keeps the supplies of every conceivable item any unit might want, not only ready to hand but also in an operational condition. Many

background information as possible of an enemy's

equipment, methods and operating methods. Security refers to security within the army in the form of denying an enemy access to the army's
premises and information.

The Royal Pioneer Corps

The Royal Pioneers Corps has now largely lost its

old pick-and-shovel image as it now acts as the

army's large-scale materials handling operatives in both stores and foruvard areas, and its officers also act as the army's management experts when dealing with civil operatives working within the army, e.g. on construction pro.iects. The Pioneers also supply the army's dog handlers for guard duties but on occasion they can still act as the army's main large-scale labour force in support of other arms.

RAOC units are fully mobile and operate from

trucks. The RAOC is also responsible for the supply

of petrol, fuel and oils to the army. especially

in

BAOR where a supply pipe network has been estab-

lished. Other RAOC responsibilities include the

large-scale provision of some food (including bread

from field bakeries) and the storage, maintenance

and repair of all types of ammunition. The RAOC is also involved in the clearing of terrorist-type bomb and other devices in Northern lreland and else-

The Royal Military Police

The 'Red Caps' have largely lost their old unloved image as they now act mainly as the army's internal police force concerned with the day-to-day policing

where.

The Medical Services

British inlantry sections are equipped with an L7 General Purpose Machine Gun, the British version of the Belgian Mitraillduse d'Appui G6n6ral. The GPMG is also mounted on a tripod for sustained fue, using standard NATO 7.62 mm x 5

anmunition;

its

cyclic rate ot fire is 750- I 000 rpm.

The Royal Signals

The role of the Royal Signals is to provide and maintain rapid, accurate and reliable communlcations for the army. Most units in the army are responsible for their own local communications, but tne Royal Signals provide the large networks for higher command echelons and for long-distance communications. This service is provided in BAOR rsing signal regiments, some of which are at corps level with others at diVision level. At present the signal network is known as BRU lN, but this is now in the process of being replaced by the advanced PTARMIGAN system. The Royal Signals also provide long-range links with the United Kingdom and many overseas locations using artificial satellites, and also assist in the operation of communications

The army's medical services include the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), the Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) and Oueen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (OARANC). These units operate mainly from military hospitals or local garrison medical centres, but in time of war many of the personnel would move out to mobile field hospitals or to the various forward ambulance units.

of all facets of military life. The MPs pride themselves in that they act as examples for other soldiers to follow, and their role in war would involve traffic control and the control of prisoners-of-war. Other arms of the army include the Royal Army Education Corps, the Army Physical Training Corps, the Army Catering Corps, the RoyalArmy Chaplains' Department, the Gibraltar Regiment, the Royal Army Pay Corps and the Women's Royal Army Corps.

The Special Air Service (SAS)

The SAS has had rather more public exposure in

recent years than it would like, for normally it.is a very specialized force used for much of the army's undercover work which would range f rom operating behind enemy lines to the surveillance and infiltration of terrorist groups. lt requires a high level.of physical and mental ability from its members, and tends to operate along its own particular lines. The SAS does not recruit from the general public.

importance, but Ioliage and face paint are of little value when charging over open ground. This secfion is arme d with the L I A I S elf-Loading R ifle, the British single-shotversion ofthe Belgian FN Fusil Au tomatique L6ger.

On the modernbattlefield camouflageis of vital

within NATO.

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME)

The REME act as the army's main repair and :naintenance element to keep the army's wide range of equipment fit and ready for use. lt thus has io be ready to repair anything from tanks and trucks to medical equipment and cameras. The REME's fitters and mechanics are integrated into almost every unit of the army from the infantry to the gunners. and may operate as part of a unit or as a mobile

with the unit. Many of the trades and skills used by REM E are unique withn the army.
or static workshop associated

The Royal Gorps of Transport (RCT)

The role of the Royal Corps of Transport is much .nore than driving trucks, which is only one facet of

:ne corps' activities. The corps also acts as the

.cived in the operation of port, air movements and

arr y's movements organizers and also gets in-

:"e provision of air logistic support. The driving tasks

a'e mainly carried out by the RCT's Transport Reg-ent, which acts as the.army's main load-carrier. --e RCT also provides the army's ambulance car-s:s and contains the army's railway specialists, '':rr drivers to railway operators. The RCT also has