Mini Munitions Thread

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 16 Feb 2017, 04:32

There is a proliferation of smart mini munitions suitable for deployment from UAV and rotary aircraft and gunships so this thread will be a convenient home for keeping track of them.

For starters... G-CLAW from Tetron.

G-CLAW
50 lb. glide munition with 20 lb. warhead for anti-personnel/anti-materiel targets
GPS-aided/Inertial Navigation System (INS) with Semi-Active Laser precision guidance
Height of burst (HOB) sensor fuze optimally detonates for lethal effects
360 degree engagement envelope
Compatible with the Common Launch Tube

http://www.textronsystems.com/what-we-d ... ems/g-claw

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 16 Feb 2017, 09:01

I've been wondering why such mini munitions are not used in fighter aircraft also? Since many times collateral damage is a concern and those aircraft are numerous and often used, it would seem smart to arm them with smaller munitions. Of course one can reduce the effect of bombs like SDB FLM. But why not just use smaller munitions like G-CLAW instead?

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 16 Feb 2017, 13:50

Would MMs be up to the stresses encountered by high-performance aircraft?

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 16 Feb 2017, 15:10

popcorn wrote:Would MMs be up to the stresses encountered by high-performance aircraft?

Could well be. I think it'd be pretty easy to design a MM that would work in high-performance aircraft, but it might be more simple and cheaper to just use larger munitions with them. Small munitions might also have funny flight characteristics when released at high speed.

SpudmanWP · by **SpudmanWP** » 16 Feb 2017, 17:10

How is a 4 foot long bomb considered "mini"? :doh:

As far as the F-35 goes, why not create a a launcher with stacked & slanted tubes that looks like \\\\\\ which can fit in the bay of an F-35. You should be able to get 12 per bay easy.

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 17 Feb 2017, 00:15

MBDA SABER. 10-lb glide bomb, SAL, GPS/INS, TV/IR w/data link seeker for man-in-loop in the works. Also available a rocket-powered version for longer range.

count_to_10 · by **count_to_10** » 17 Feb 2017, 00:41

I think the real reason is probably that it doesn't fit the F-35 mission profile to be deploying weapons that small. If the target is well protected enough to need an F-35 rather than a cheap drone, it's probably well armored enough to need a larger warhead.