U.S. Hits Taliban With VW-Size Bombs

New York Daily News ^ | 11/06/01 | NEWS WIRE SERVICES

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON

The U.S. has begun attacking Taliban military forces with the biggest conventional bomb in the Air Force arsenal: a 15,000-pound behemoth known as the daisy cutter.

Daisy cutter bombs — officially called BLU-82s — were used on Taliban front-line positions in northern Afghanistan for the first time over the weekend, U.S. officials said yesterday.

The giant bombs — which are dropped by parachute and detonate just above the ground — cause massive pressure blasts that can kill or maim fighters hiding in caves and tunnels.

The bomb sprays a mist of chemicals over a large target area, then ignites the mist for a huge explosion that incinerates everything within up to 600 yards.

Because the blast is so enormous, the bomb must be dropped from an altitude of at least 6,000 feet so that the plane carrying it can avoid the massive shock wave.

The daisy cutter gets its nickname from the distinctive daisy-like pattern of destruction it leaves behind.

Each bomb is more than 17 feet long and 5 feet in diameter — about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, but far heavier.

It is so powerful that U.S. forces used it to create instant helicopter landing pads at the end of the Vietnam War, and it can clear large minefields by detonating every mine with its massive concussive blast.

The bomb — 80% of which is explosive material — is sometimes used as much for its psychological impact against the enemy as for its explosive power, senior defense officials said yesterday.

The daisy cutter also was used against Iraqi troops during the Gulf War.

[Aztech]

A manly bomb!

[Nitro]

Bada Bing!!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Strong Stuff !

[scooter2]

At $27,000 per, we can afford to build and employ lots of these. Leaves a crater as wide as 5 football fields. I once saw one of these go off in the jungle in Nam. Cleared an area, nearly to bare ground, about 1/2 kilometer in diameter. Great for creating LZ's in the middle of nowhere.

[freedomson]

Roll it!

[chatham]

I am very glad I am on the American side.

It will be very interesting to find out how effective this little Daisy is.

[DrJasper]

It's a great DUMB Bomb! No intelligence here, just a big old BOOM!

[Principled]

$27,000? Lets make millions of them!

[Camerican]

Somebody please do the math for me. One BLU-82 cuts a 1/2 km diameter crater. So how many do we need to pave Kabul, Khandahar and Mazar El Sharif?

[DrJasper]

About a million! give or take about 100K of them!

[r9etb]

The bomb — 80% of which is explosive material

12,000 lb of high explosive, going off in one tiny spot. Remind me to stay away from such spots.

Because the blast is so enormous, the bomb must be dropped from an altitude of at least 6,000 feet so that the plane carrying it can avoid the massive shock wave.

Sounds like a damned fine thing to drop into a steep-walled valley -- especially one with cave entrances at the bottom.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The United States has used 15,000-pound ``daisy cutter'' bombs, similar to the one shown in this undated file photo, in the Afghanistan campaign, a defense official said Monday Nov. 5, 2001. The BLU-82 bomb, was developed to provide the USAF with a high-blast bomb for creating corridors through large minefields, but also for use against ground forces. This bomb was also used to clear helicopter landing areas in the jungle. The bomb was designed to be delivered by pushing it out of the rear cargo doors of the USAF's MC-130H Combat Talon (Hercules) aircraft. The bomb was first used in the mine-clearing role by the USAF in 1991, to open the Desert Storm ground war. ( AP Photo/JANES) - Nov 06 12:34 AM ET

[ladtx]

The daisy cutter gets its nickname from the distinctive daisy-like pattern of destruction it leaves behind.

I don't think so. It's because it cuts all (as in ALL!) vegetation down to the ground.

[lunatic12]

The more important point may be that these are very effective in clearing mine fields, of which there are supposedly many between the Norhtern Alliance and Kabul.

[zbogwan2]

It's a great DUMB Bomb! No intelligence here, just a big old BOOM!

Just the appropriate bomb for these uncivilized dumb barbarian rag heads, I'd say!

[Nitro]

Here is the delivery protocol:

[Procyon]

The BLU-82B/C-130 weapon system, nicknamed Commando Vault, is the high altitude delivery of a 15,000 pound general purpose bomb from a C-130. This system depends upon the accurate positioning of the aircraft by either a fixed ground radar or onboard navigation equipment. The ground radar controller or aircrew navigator as applicable, is responsible for positioning the aircraft prior to final countdown and release. Primary aircrew considerations include accurate ballistic and wind computations provided by the navigator, and precision instrument flying with strict adherence to controller instructions. The minimum altitude for release due to blast effects of the weapon is 6,000 feet AGL.

The BLU-82 is a 15,000 pound GP bomb originally designed to clear helicopter landing zones in Vietnam. The warhead contains 12,600 pounds of GSX slurry and is detonated just above ground level by a 38-inch fuze extender. The weapon produces an overpressure of 1,000 pounds per square inch. Eleven BLU-82s were dropped during Desert Storm, all from Special Operations C-130s. The initial drops were intended to test the ability of the bomb to clear mines; no reliable bomb damage assessment exist on mine clearing effectiveness. Later, bombs were dropped as much for their psychological effect as for their destructive power.

[HiJinx]

Fox and Friends is showing video of a BLU-82 detonation from several angles. The shock wave is very visible, and the destruction to an old 2-story wooden barracks is complete. If and when you see the video, note that the building is next to the blast, not directly under the exploding bomb!

[Nitro]

This is real All-American smash-mouth war making!!

[SAMWolf]

Leaflets used during the Gulf War

After the predicted bombing, which was just enough to let them know that we could do as we predicted, the leaflet shown above would be dropped. This leaflet depicts the BLU-82 aerial bomb, which was nicknamed the super-explosive "Daisy Cutter". The "Daisy Cutter" was refered to in the leaflet's text as the "most destrucive conventional bomb of the war, having more power than 20 Scud missiles." The translation for the leaflet is shown below:

FRONT:"Flee and save your life, or remain and meet your death!"

BACK:You have suffered heavy losses because we have used the most powerful and destructive conventional bomb of this war. It is more powerful than 20 Scud Missles in respect of explosion capability. We warn you! We shall bomb your position again. Kuwait will be liberated from Saddam's aggression. Hurry and join your brothers from the south. We shall treat you with all our love and respect. Abandon this position. You will never be safe!"

This leaflet's message gave a stern warning that once again they were to be bombed and they could not hide from us. Not even in their bunkers would they be safe. The scheduled time for the next bombing would be several hours later to allow the soldiers time to think and worry about the upcoming bombing and how with the daisy cutter bombs they were not even safe in their reinforced bunkers.

[scooter2]

Fox and Friends is showing video of a BLU-82 detonation from several angles

How about a link?

[eeaaggllee11]

bump

[r9etb]

It's because it cuts all (as in ALL!) vegetation down to the ground.

Example from Viet Nam:

[BunnySlippers]

YIKES!

[NetSurfer]

Fahrfegnugen. LOL.

[SAMWolf]

Leaflets used during the Gulf War

After the predicted bombing, which was just enough to let them know that we could do as we predicted, the leaflet shown above would be dropped. This leaflet depicts the BLU-82 aerial bomb, which was nicknamed the super-explosive "Daisy Cutter". The "Daisy Cutter" was refered to in the leaflet's text as the "most destrucive conventional bomb of the war, having more power than 20 Scud missiles." The translation for the leaflet is shown below:

FRONT:"Flee and save your life, or remain and meet your death!"

BACK:You have suffered heavy losses because we have used the most powerful and destructive conventional bomb of this war. It is more powerful than 20 Scud Missles in respect of explosion capability. We warn you! We shall bomb your position again. Kuwait will be liberated from Saddam's aggression. Hurry and join your brothers from the south. We shall treat you with all our love and respect. Abandon this position. You will never be safe!"

This leaflet's message gave a stern warning that once again they were to be bombed and they could not hide from us. Not even in their bunkers would they be safe. The scheduled time for the next bombing would be several hours later to allow the soldiers time to think and worry about the upcoming bombing and how with the daisy cutter bombs they were not even safe in their reinforced bunkers.

[Abn1508]

Was the blonde (I don't know any of their names) making "ooooo" sounds? I can just see the darker guy jumping up with a "YES! IT'S TOAST!"

I like Fox and Friends but not enough to actually watch TV.

[Nitro]

The day before, their target area had been rained with
leaflets warning the soldiers below: "Tomorrow if you don't
surrender we're going to drop on you the largest
conventional weapon in the world." The Iraqis who dared to
sleep that night found out the allies weren't kidding. The
explosion of a Daisy Cutter looks like an atomic bomb
detonating. In the southwest corner of Kuwait that night,
an enormous mushroom cloud flared into the dark. Sound
travels for miles in the barren desert, and soon Iraqi
radio nets along the border crackled with traffic. Col.
Mike Samuel, Schwarzkopf's special-operations commander,
cabled a message back to the U.S. Special Operations
Command headquarters in Florida: "We're not too sure how
you say 'Jesus Christ' in Iraqi." A British SAS commando
team on a secret reconnaissance mission near the explosion
frantically radioed back to its headquarters: "Sir, the
blokes have just nuked Kuwait!"

The next day a Combat Talon swept over the bomb site for
another leaflet drop with a follow-up message: "You have
just been hit with the largest conventional bomb in the
world. More are on the way." The victims below didn't need
much more convincing. The day after the BLU-82 attack, an
Iraqi battalion commander and his staff raced across the
border to surrender. Among the defectors was the
commander's intelligence officer, clutching maps of the
minefields along the Kuwait border. The intelligence
bonanza enabled Central Command officers to pick out the
gaps and weak spots in the mine defenses. When the ground
war began Marine and allied forces breached them within
hours.

[Charles Martel]

The bomb sprays a mist of chemicals over a large target area, then ignites the mist for a huge explosion that incinerates everything within up to 600 yards.

No it doesn't. The "Daisy Cutter" is NOT a Fuel-Air Explosive. It's just an exceptionally large conventional bomb. This confusion keeps appearing on BLU-82 threads, possibly because the explosive used in the BLU-82 is ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (IIRC). While it's not an aerosol-type FAE weapon, it is nonetheless impressive.

[Freemyland]

It sounds like this was what was responsible for that enormous explosion we heard so much about a week or so ago.

[Texas Tea]

"Daisy cutter" huh....

Hey, Taliban, This "buds" for YOU!!!

[Freemyland]

OK. Maybe my #31 is incorrect. Do you remember the huge explosion that was all over the news about a week or so ago? If so, which of these two, if any, do you suspect it was? They both appear to be some bad mo-fos.

[Brett66]

I hate you
You hate me
Here's a big fat FAE.

[Nitro]

I beleive this link to Blu-82 will answer all questions!

[Nitro]

I must have missed that report but I would not be surprised if it was!

I know it's a cliche but this baby gives us more bang for the buck!!

[Phantom Lord]

Where can I find one of these 17 foot long VW Bugs? If memory serves me right, they are under 10 ft long.

[Freemyland]

In high school, I had a friend who drove a VW Bug. From my memories of riding in that car, I would swear it was no more than 3 to 4 feet long, tops.

[jamz]

I thought the term "DaisyCutter" comes from the guaranteed clearing of vegetation. Guaranteed to incenerate all to the height of a daisy (~8inches) Nonetheless...It is a little more impressive when dropped in the middle of a jungle...but I hope this makes Rumsfeld's next press conference. I want pics baby.

[Charles Martel]

Do you remember the huge explosion that was all over the news about a week or so ago? If so, which of these two, if any, do you suspect it was? They both appear to be some bad mo-fos.

I have no idea which weapon caused all that ruckus. It could've well been a "Bunker Buster" that found a large fuel cache, too. In the end, does it *really* matter which weapon made the big kaboom? Just so long as it works, is absolutely and unspeakably devastating - and they videotape it! ;-) Taliban kebabs, get yer Taliban kebabs...

[jamz]

I thought the term "DaisyCutter" comes from the guaranteed clearing of vegetation. Guaranteed to incenerate all to the height of a daisy (~8inches) Nonetheless...It is a little more impressive when dropped in the middle of a jungle...but I hope this makes Rumsfeld's next press conference. I want pics baby.

[biblewonk]

Aren't they wonderfully cost effective. Park those high priced cruise missles and we can drop these all day.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

I once drove a Volkswagon bomb. My fiance repaired the gas line with a pair of his undershorts and we made it over the pass and to the ski-slopes safely. It was a game little old fastback that ran and ran....

[Freemyland]

I like the approx 27 seconds from release to detonation. Enough time to see it coming, but not nearly enough time to do a thing about it.

[Nitro]

Until you get video, maybe this will give you an idea!

Link to series of photos depicting a Blu-82 detonation!

[Nitro]

Well aside from bluejeans, the only other thing the world really wants from the USA is our weapons!!

[Flakebaby]

I have seen these bombs utilized in Desert Storm and they are awesome. The inrush of air generated from the fuel igniting will actually pull people off thier feel from several hundreds of yards away and suck them into the inferno. The ECR (effective casualty rate) is one square kilometer. Nothing survives the blast. The Iraq front lines were dissolved with several dozen of these babies. We simply drove right through with our armor and there was very little left. Also known as a FAB (fuel-air bomb)

[Freemyland]

Well then, I guess Afghanistan has achieved most favored nation status, because we are now delivering our weapons there by the plane load.

[GuillermoX]

I'm trying to gauge how much damage these bombs can do...what if one of these "daisy cutters" hit in the middle of a city block...how much damage would it cause? What about a 1,000 lb bomb? Or a 100 lb bomb?

[knighthawk]

Yeah, these are the booms we were waiting for! Let throw in some more! Make a nice firework display!

HAPPY RAMADAN TO ALL AFGHANS!!! I know we will!