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The Baghdad Division

  • 03-04-2003 11:17am
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    a friend of mine just told me that the US destroyed the The Baghdad Division, with 2 fuel air bombs (Daisy cutters). Anyone know if this is the case?

    Considering these bombs have a blast radius of about 2 kilometers, its quite possible to take out a whole division.


Comments

  • #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force crossed the Tigris at the town of Kut, reporting only occasional fire from the Baghdad infantry division of the Republican Guard, which had suffered days of intense bombardment, including two massive 15,000lb "daisy-cutter" fuel-air bombs.
    Gen Brooks said the Baghdad division, which originally had up to 12,000 troops, had been "destroyed".

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,928547,00.html


  • #3
    PH01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭PH01


    JesusHChrist!
    A 15000lb bomb would throw up one hell of a mushroom cloud? Any pictures, unless they were dropped at night?


  • #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    no pictures.

    I heard the report is all, and wasn't sure till i got that link.


  • #5
    bonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,443 ✭✭✭✭bonkey


    Originally posted by PH01
    JesusHChrist!
    A 15000lb bomb would throw up one hell of a mushroom cloud?

    15 tons? Not that big. Nothing compared to kiloton weaponry.

    In actual fact Blu-82 "Daisy Cutter" bombs only have 9.5 ton of explosive, but its the equivalent if about 15-20 tons of "convenetional" high explosive.

    I'm amazed they used those and not the new MOAB (Massive Ordinance Air Blast, or Mother of All Bombs) which is the Blu-82's new big brother.

    jc


  • #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Theres been too much negative publicity in regards to the MOAB lately, also its relatively untested in warfare. The Daisy Cutter is tried & tested, so they would know the results. I'd say its the case that they wanted to be sure, of the results.

    Still its disturbing if a whole division is destroyed by two bombs in the space of a few seconds...


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  • #7
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,579 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Nerdy gun bunny time again. :)
    Originally posted by klaz
    Theres been too much negative publicity in regards to the MOAB lately, also its relatively untested in warfare.
    Negative publicity? Haven't heard any. Being a new bomb it hasn't been reported as being used in combat at all (they are unlikely to advertise the first combat tests to maintain secrecy, until they have analysed the data).
    Originally posted by klaz
    The Daisy Cutter is tried & tested, so they would know the results. I'd say its the case that they wanted to be sure, of the results.
    Originally posted by bonkey
    I'm amazed they used those and not the new MOAB (Massive Ordinance Air Blast, or Mother of All Bombs) which is the Blu-82's new big brother.
    At this stage they are just using off the last of the stock.
    Originally posted by klaz
    Still its disturbing if a whole division is destroyed by two bombs in the space of a few seconds...
    It wasn't, read the quote "suffered days of intense bombardment". The BLU-82B (if this is what they are referring to, the "Daisy Cutter" is the fuse, no the bomb) has a "very large lethal radius (variously reported as 300-900 feet)", but cannot take out a division with two bombs (unless they are all at a football match). The article also mentions an attack by 200 helicopters (not sure if it was the same battle). On TV last night an Air Force officer was clarifying "destroyed" as being destroyed as a functioning division, not that every last man or piece of equipment was killed / destroyed.
    The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force crossed the Tigris at the town of Kut, reporting only occasional fire from the Baghdad infantry division of the Republican Guard, which had suffered days of intense bombardment, including two massive 15,000lb "daisy-cutter" fuel-air bombs.

    Gen Brooks said the Baghdad division, which originally had up to 12,000 troops, had been "destroyed".
    Originally posted by bonkey
    15 tons? Not that big. Nothing compared to kiloton weaponry. In actual fact Blu-82 "Daisy Cutter" bombs only have 9.5 ton of explosive, but its the equivalent if about 15-20 tons of "convenetional" high explosive.
    15,000lbs = 6.7 tons, admittedly almost all of it explosive. I understand MOAB uses Tritonal (80% TNT, 20% aluminium powder), a common military explosive.

    A quick google finds:
    Another reference indicates "704 pounds of Tritonal, which is equivalent to 830 pounds of TNT, or roughly 2,200 pounds of a properly prepared ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO) mixture"
    In terms of brisance, the effect of the BLU-82 is likely to be similar to ANFO, but with higher incendiary effect (the aluminium powder).

    Of course there was also the Russian FAB-9000, designed to sink BBs and CVs for the Tu-85 (prototypes only?), Tu-16 and Tu-22 (K?). I did a google (comes up with a few good results) but couldn't find the HE content. They were used to 'less' effect in Afghanistan, non-lethal radius 225m.

    Czech http://www.military.cz/russia/air/weapons/bombs/fab/fab.htm
    English http://www.aeronautics.ru/img001/airsurface.htm


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