The Chernobyl Raid

[Wolfman]

Good to know.

[jemhouston]

I know Chernobyl supplied a good percent of the region's power, but given the fact it had reactors why hit it at all? Hitting the dams make more sense to me unless they were too heavily defended.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

I know Chernobyl supplied a good percent of the region's power, but given the fact it had reactors why hit it at all? Hitting the dams make more sense to me unless they were too heavily defended.

The FB's didn't have Pave Tack so were restricted to dumb bombs and what the WSO can bring up on the radar. The turbine houses can be small and depending where they are located might not have shown up enough to target. Without LGBs and 4 bombs each it'll be tough and going that deep into indian country you want every bomb count.

When you're targeting a nuclear plant you better have checked your data not twice but 3-4 times.

[Johnnie Lyle]

I know Chernobyl supplied a good percent of the region's power, but given the fact it had reactors why hit it at all? Hitting the dams make more sense to me unless they were too heavily defended.

The FB's didn't have Pave Tack so were restricted to dumb bombs and what the WSO can bring up on the radar. The turbine houses can be small and depending where they are located might not have shown up enough to target. Without LGBs and 4 bombs each it'll be tough and going that deep into indian country you want every bomb count.

When you're targeting a nuclear plant you better have checked your data not twice but 3-4 times.

Sounds like a disconnect between the people planning and assigning the missions.

[jemhouston]

I know Chernobyl supplied a good percent of the region's power, but given the fact it had reactors why hit it at all? Hitting the dams make more sense to me unless they were too heavily defended.

The FB's didn't have Pave Tack so were restricted to dumb bombs and what the WSO can bring up on the radar. The turbine houses can be small and depending on where they are located might not have shown up enough to target. Without LGBs and 4 bombs each it'll be tough and going that deep into Indian country you want every bomb count.

When you're targeting a nuclear plant you better have checked your data not twice but 3-4 times.

I wasn't clear, I didn't mean hitting the turbine building, I meant the dams themselves.

It's probably right below nuclear release on the escalation ladder, but that level has been breached.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

I know Chernobyl supplied a good percent of the region's power, but given the fact it had reactors why hit it at all? Hitting the dams make more sense to me unless they were too heavily defended.

The FB's didn't have Pave Tack so were restricted to dumb bombs and what the WSO can bring up on the radar. The turbine houses can be small and depending on where they are located might not have shown up enough to target. Without LGBs and 4 bombs each it'll be tough and going that deep into Indian country you want every bomb count.

When you're targeting a nuclear plant you better have checked your data not twice but 3-4 times.

I wasn't clear, I didn't mean hitting the turbine building, I meant the dams themselves.

It's probably right below nuclear release on the escalation ladder, but that level has been breached.

Good question.... Were the BLU-116 version of the Mk84 operational back then and did they have the OOMPH! to actually crack a dam?

[James1978]

The FB's didn't have Pave Tack so were restricted to dumb bombs and what the WSO can bring up on the radar. The turbine houses can be small and depending on where they are located might not have shown up enough to target. Without LGBs and 4 bombs each it'll be tough and going that deep into Indian country you want every bomb count.

When you're targeting a nuclear plant you better have checked your data not twice but 3-4 times.

I wasn't clear, I didn't mean hitting the turbine building, I meant the dams themselves.

It's probably right below nuclear release on the escalation ladder, but that level has been breached.

Good question.... Were the BLU-116 version of the Mk84 operational back then and did they have the OOMPH! to actually crack a dam?

OOC: BLU-116 didn't start development until @ 1995.
BLU-109 is more likely. In @, BLU-109 development started in 1984, with service entry in I think 1987. And that was a "crash program", though under peacetime conditions.

[Matt Wiser]

OOC: BLU-109 entered service TTL with IOC in late 1986 as a "Dumb" bomb, with the Paveway II version following in mid '87. Paveway III wasn't until postwar.