bunkerbuster: not just for nukes

[Karsten M. Self]

on Fri, Oct 12, 2001 at 03:58:36AM -0700, citizenQ (citizenQ at ziplip.com)
wrote:
> >cpaul writes:
> >
> >> THE US 'ANNOUNCED' THEIR INTENTION TO USE B61-11 BUNKER BUSTERS ON LAST
> >> NIGHT'S NEWS BULLETINS (BUT SOMEHOW FORGOT TO REFER TO THE FACT THAT
THEY
> >> ARE CLASSIFIED AS TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS)
> >
>
> Confirmation?
>
> >Yes, I noticed this as well.  I wonder how many euphemisms we will now
> >hear for the word "nuclear" until the American public is informed after
> >the fact how wonderfully the weapons have worked.
> >
>
> Possibly confused with this bunker buster:
> Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28)
> BLU-113 Penetrator
>
> The Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28) is a special weapon developed for
> penetrating hardened Iraqi command centers located deep underground.
> The GBU-28 is a 5,000-pound laser-guided conventional munition that
> uses a 4,400-pound penetrating warhead. The bombs are modified Army
> artillery tubes, weigh 4,637 pounds, and contain 630 pounds of high
> explosives. They are fitted with GBU-27 LGB kits, 14.5 inches in
> diameter and almost 19 feet long. The operator illuminates a target
> with a laser designator and then the munition guides to a spot of
> laser energy reflected from the target.
>
> Much more likely.  Hard to imagine a scenario where tacnukes would be
> deployed.

That's my read.

Several press articles mentioned the GBU-28, and Rumsfeld mentioned it
(or was asked about it) specifically in a press conference Wednesday or
Thursday (NPR's on continuous-feed mode here).  The only reference I saw
to the B62-11 specific to the current conflict was a Wired article "Nuke
'Em From On High"

    http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,47319,00.html
The device itself is nuclear (not merely a d-u casing, in fact I don't
see d-u mentioned at all), with yields from 300T - 300KT, in a focussed
charge.

Peace.

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