Unexploded Excitement

Snapped Shot ^ | 8/23/2006 | Snapped Shot

[Brian C. Ledbetter]

It seems that the Lebanese army is starting to inspect and neutralize all of the unexploded artillery and other ordinance that Shamnesty is so worried about. This photograph is rather odd, though. It's extremely grainy, due to high levels of jpeg compression, but it purports to be two members of the Lebanese Army inspecting an unexploded missile. What's odd is that the object they're studying doesn't readily appear to be a missile to me—Could it be an external fuel tank? Some other piece of artillery? Humpback whale? Beats me. As usual, if you have exceptional eyesight and vast stores of military knowledge, be sure to chime in and let me know what you think.

UPDATE 15:38 EST: Commenter Mean Gene Dr. Love writes, "As an F-16 crew chief in the USAF photo #1 looks like it is quite possibly the aft section of a centerline external fuel tank. Photo #3 looks like what we call a travel pod (used to be napalm canisters until Viet Nam), possibly used to distribute leaflets. I have removed and installed hundreds of both of these items in my career. The pilot can jettison them when they are no longer needed. If anyone has access to the uncompressed photos and can pass them on to me, I could give more definite answers.

Photo #2 looks like a home-made piece of crap. I have never seen any (unemprovised) munitions that look like that.

Photo #4: If that is indeed a UXO, the man is a fool and lucky they are all still alive.

Photo #5: Looks like an external fuel tank for a smaller (than an F-16) aircraft like say, an A-4 Skyhawk, which the Israelis do have. See this photo courtesy of the USMC. Those cigar shaped things under the wings are fuel tanks. In combat, they are "punched off" when empty."

InfoJunkie adds, "I have 5 years experience loading bombs and 8 years experience watching them fall on a bombing range.

#1 looks like a stuffed marlin with the head cut off.
#2 looks like nothing I have ever seen.
#3 looks like a 1000 lb bomb (with a looter... is this New Orleans?)
#4 looks like an artillary round (what a moron!)
#5 looks like a 500 lb bomb (with another moron!)"

Our own local commenter brian (no relation!) notes, "That -thing- among the sewer pipes.... wtf? LOL!! I mean... seriously... who built that? Hezbollah H.S. metalshop class? The shipping charges must've been a bitch!! Am I to beleive that this thing was dropped from an aircraft going 500+knots at 8-30k feet? Sucker is tough!! Not a scratch on it!!"

My sincerest thanks to all of you for this fascinating info!

UPDATE 21:57 EST: Reader captainfish writes, "That last photo, photo#5,.... isn't that the site of the bridge that was said to exist in two different places, the site on the border with the guard station, blasted out bridge with an antenna and an upside down truck some thought was "moved around". The antenna and the vegetation in the background in this picture sure looks like that scene."

This is a very astute observation! It appears that Powerline had the dirty on the bridge, and from the looks of things, we may be dealing with the same scene. See the full article for details.

UPDATE 24-AUG-2006 08:58 EST: The Associated Press has posted a slightly higher-quality copy of our original image. There's less jpeg compression in this image, but it's still not entirely clear what we're looking at. There's a possibility that the object the soldier is standing on is in front of the missile, though I don't see anything clearly missile-like in the background.

UPDATE 24-AUG-2006 12:48 EST: Reader SBW notes that the item in Photo #2 is a known weapon in use by the IDF—the Carpet Mine Breaching System. After reviewing the websites he links, I concur. There is, it seems, still a question of what a canister which has been fired would look like:—whether it would have scorch marks, scuff marks, or anything else to indicate that it had actually been used. The technology seems to involve a fuel-air explosive, so it would seem that this is, indeed, a failed canister, though it certainly doesn't appear to be anywhere near a minefield. Does anyone know if "dud" fuel-air weapons are as dangerous as "unexploded missiles?"

For the record, here are some of the other "unexploded ordinance" photographs from the wires:

Part of an ordnance is seen on a hill overlooking the southern border town of Wazzani, Lebanon Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called the situation in Lebanon 'explosive' and pressed the international community to work quickly to deploy peacekeeping troops as the shaky cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah was further tested Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Surely, Nasser wouldn't have us believe that this is an Israeli shell. It looks more like a propane tank with fins!

A Lebanese family walks past an unexploded Israeli missile in the border town of Khiam, located just seven kilometres (four miles) from the Israeli border. Hezbollah's representative in Iran has ruled out the disarmament of the Shiite Lebanese militia and said the group will buy new weapons if necessary.(AFP/Oussama Ayoub)

(Notice the television... It kinda makes me wonder how many of the families over there who are purportedly "recovering personal belongings" are actually looting...)

A woman chats with a Lebanese army sapper removing an unexploded Israeli ordnance from her home. Israel warned that disarming Hezbollah remained key to keeping a fragile truce in Lebanon, vowing to keep up raids to prevent the Shiite militia from getting weapons from abroad.(AFP/Ali Diya)

(And this photograph seems like more of a staged photo op, with the smiling soldier carrying the Evil Zionist(tm) bomb, helping the little old lady, and all...)

A Lebanese youth stands next to an unexploded Israeli forces' bomb, dropped during the month-long offensive, in the southern village of Srifa, Lebanon, Thursday Aug. 17, 2006. The tens of thousands of refugees returning to their homes in the war battered south are vulnerable, with lots of unexploded ordnance including small bomblets buried beneath rubble, interspersed with the debris that litters the ruined villages. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

(And here's word from our buddy, the award-winning LEFTeris Pitarakis!)

UPDATE 21:57 EST: Here are the full-sized graphics for captainfish's observation:

The tower does seem to match the base in the picture, but I'm not sure if the background scenery matches. Anyone have sharper eyes than I do?

UPDATE 24-AUG: Reuters has sent a somewhat higher-quality copy of the first image across. The jpeg compression in this one isn't so lossy, but it still isn't clear to me exactly what it is we're looking at.

A Lebanese soldier inspects an unexploded missile in a house in al-Khiam village in south Lebanon in this August 19, 2006 file photo. Three Lebanese soldiers were killed on Wednesday while clearing unexploded Israeli shells in southern Lebanon, underscoring the dangers of a region awaiting the deployment of thousands of U.N. peacekeepers. (Karamallah Daher/Reuters)

[Brian C. Ledbetter]

FReepers with military expertise—This one's for you!

[baltodog]

I've never had any experience with one, but instinct tells me to stay away....and certainly not carry around.

[afnamvet]

Photo #3 looks like a belly fuel tank for a f16.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Bonjour, I am Achmed your Ordinance Sommelier. Can I interest you in a 105 Chateau Cordite?

[afnamvet]

Photo #2 and 33 look like the same object.

[afnamvet]

33=3

[SampleMan]

The exterior shots are bomb bodies. 1000 or 2000 pounds. A bomb without the fin unit looks like a very large artillery shell.

The carrying lugs and access plugs on top are indicative that its a bomb.

[afnamvet]

Israeli F16i

[humblegunner]

Can I interest you in a 105 Chateau Cordite?

I hear it goes nicely with the grilled Sperm Whale..

[investigateworld]

White phone is for you.

[SampleMan]

I have lots of experience with bomb bodies and fuel tanks. Is that what you were trying to show me? Only a 2000 pounder could be confused with a fuel tank, but the identifiers point to the exterior photos being of bomb bodies.

[Eaker]

LOL!

[afnamvet]

I original post erred in saying " belly tank"; I meant to say wing tanks.

I dunno. Photo three looks like an external wing fuel tank.

[mtgmkr]

Photo 4 looks like a 155mm Illumination shell casing. Nothing left inside.

[SampleMan]

I dunno. Photo three looks like an external wing fuel tank.

Its extemely unusual to drop external tanks, but its possible. Further, external tanks come in various sizes and are generally (but not always) interchangeable from belly to wing, assuming all the plumbing is in place. Finally though, the diameter looks too small for a tank, the body does not protrude far enough back behind the second lug, and there is no fill cap where there should be.

Having said that, a closer look would help.

[Jet Jaguar]

This is a travel pod.

[Jet Jaguar]

http://www.f-16.net/modules/pnGallery2/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=53362&g2_serialNumber=2

A link to a picture of a travel pod.

[Jet Jaguar]

Link to f-16 centerline (sta-5) fuel tank.



http://www.f-16.net/gallery_item45927.html

[DugwayDuke]

Either that or that's one strong dude. A loaded 155 shell should weigh around 100 pounds. Doesn't look like he's holding that much weight.

[Jet Jaguar]

Ping, for when you have some time.