F-35 Bunker Buster Back in the Blocks

AFRL to Give Bunker-Busting a Boost by Graham Warwick at Sep/13/2011

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

"Declaring that hard and deeply buried targets -- command bunkers and other facilities -- are becoming more numerous and difficult to defeat, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking ideas for technologies to be incorporated into a high-velocity penetrating weapon -- a 2,000lb munition that would fit inside an F-35 but have the bunker-busting capability of a 5,000lb weapon...." [More at the Jump]

Graphic: AFRL http://sitelife.aviationweek.com/ver1.0 ... .Large.jpg

I must say that is one helluva requirement to fit. It sounds extremely expensive to develop and one can almost anticipate the delays, only to be cancelled in the end? I hope I'm wrong on that outcome, but IMHO, I'd say either cut down on the requirements for the internal bay launched weapon (at least for now - upgrade it with 2025 tech when the tech is available), or consider a wing-launched heavier class weapon of 2,500-3,000 lb ballpark and perhaps 13-14' length, etc. If it's a long-enough stand-off class, or if stealthy as a munition, then externally launched wouldn't be as detrimental to the tactical capability? Maybe just make sure future UCAV designs are better well designed around a 2,500lb, 14' class internal weap bay requirement?? Yet, for cheap and off-the-shelf as an interim solution... perhaps consider an extended stand-off capability derived from ATACMS? An Air launched ATACMS booster is already a proven system of course, so perhaps extend the war-head section to accomodate a 1,000lb next-gen explosive penetrator along w/ a modified motor for terminal boost? 300nm range? Available for delivery in 3-4 yrs? just my 2 cents.

It's doable considering the advances in explosives and case construction brought on by the SDB.

If we were going to assume this scales anything like linearly, using the ratio for the SDB, this would be a 600-700lb-class weapon. However, I highly doubt this is going to work especially well. We're better off using the Batmobile for this kind of thing.

That is interesting.

A very long time ago when they were trying to figure out the JSF program, there was a test done on making a 1000 pound class penetrator shape work. They did some sled tests of a shape.

The above 2000lb thing looks more aggressive.

Things like BLU-109 and SDB are there to properly manage cement buildings and non-deeply buried bunkers.

BLU-109 and SDB will certainly give the F-35 lots of battlefield interdiction capability.

One also has to consider the value of deep buried bunkers. The ones we took out in Iraq-2003 didn't have very much effect on the outcome of the war.

Reminds me of the French Durandal runway buster only without the parachute and a lot more sophisticated. Having this capability on the F-35 is a good response togrowing trend of opposing forces to go underground.