Mihir wrote:Inadequate precision was a real issue in Kargil, where "a miss by a foot is a miss by a mile" or something like that. So if these bombs are fitted with proximity fuses and set to explode a couple of hundred feet above the ground, they could shred the infiltrators in uncovered sangars over a pretty wide area without needing much precision.
Yes indeed, Mihir.
We had the problem of cemented stone sangars at Kargil. How does one tackle stone sangars with firing ports.
A basic HE bomb uses overpressure effect. However, the kill radius is very small and the effect quickly dissipates.
To improve the radius, fragmentation bombs were introduced, where the casing fragmented. However, the fragments were uneven and not aerodynamic.
Then came Cluster Bomb Units like BL755 manufactured by OFB and US CBU-105 manufactured by POF. However, they have unexploded ordnance issues rendering the area unusable by own troops.
So most ordnance was ineffective against Pakistani sangars in Kargil that required direct hits or costly hand to had fighting to clear. These cemented stone bunkers were cheaper than even unguided bombs, and the stones afforded protection from fragments & bullets & anything other than a direct hit.
So we worked with IAI to create IFB500
that on exploding shoots out ball bearings
http://www.imi-israel.com/home/doc.aspx?mCatID=66597Lethal area..........10,000m2
These airburst ball bearings can penetrate sangar firing ports and other entry/exit points and wreck havoc not possible with general HE FRAG bombs.
Extremely effective in jungles too.
Looks like DRDO has developed 250 & 100 kg class bombs of the same type. Check the fuses on all three bombs - they're the same.