Weapons of the Royal Air Force

[Bernard Woolley]

Weapons of the Royal Air Force

Air-to-Air

Air to Surface – Guided

Air to Surface – Unguided

Guns

Surface to Air

Nuclear Weapons

Future Weapons

[Bernard Woolley]

Air-to-Air


AIM-9L
First used by the RAF in the early 1980s, replacing the Golf model. It was employed by every modern fast jet in RAF service, plus the Nimrod MPA. While the missile was largely replaced by the ASRAAM by 2005, it was still held in RAF stocks. During the 1990-1991 Guld War, the RAF used American supplied Mike models of the Sidewinder, rather than the Lima model. It was believed that the missiles were returned to the USAF post-war. While no longer routinely carried by RAF aircraft in 2005, significant stocks of the missile were still held and would be issued during the Third World War.


ASRAAM
Originated in a UK-US-FRG joint programme to replace the AIM-9. American participation being the reason for the missile also sometimes being known by its US designation, AIM-132. The US and FRG withdrew from the programme in the early 1990s, going on to develop the AIM-9X and IRIS-T respectively. The UK carried on development, producing an advanced, high-speed missile (Mach.3 plus), that was extremely manoeuvrable and longer-ranged than its predecessor (stated to be comparable in range to early AIM-120 models). The increased diameter of ASRAAM allowed for more computer power, allowing for superior counter counter-measure capabilities when compared to its contemporaries, such as the AIM-9X. Any RAF aircraft that could carry the AIM-9 could also carry the ASRAAM and integration was generally straightforward. All modern RAF fast jets and the Nimrod can be armed with the ASRAAM, with the Jaguar, Tornado F.3 and Typhoon also employing helmet mounted sights in combination with the missile. In the future the missile will be integrated with the F-24B Scimitar.


AIM-7E-2 Sparrow
Procured along with the Phantom FG.1 and FGR.2, the Sparrow was superseded by the Skyflash by the 1980s, though it would continue to be used by Phantom squadrons taking part in Armament Practise Camps into the 1990s. It was believed that the last RAF stocks of Sparrows were expended at an APC in 2000, but it is possible that some missiles lingered on for a few more years. However, after the Phantom FGR.2 was retired, the air force did not have any aircraft that could employ it.


Skyflash
The RAF’s primary air to air weapons employed by Phantoms and Tornado F.3s between the early 1980s and 2000s. It was derived from the AIM-7 but was fitted with a semi-active inverse menopause seeker, improved electronics, adapted control surfaces and a Thorn EMI active radar fuze. The missile also used different rocket motors to the AIM-7. The Sparrow would gain similar capabilities when the Mike model entered service. A Mk.2 with an active seeker was proposed in the 1980s and continued to be marketed into the 1990s but failed to attract any buyers. Until the Tornado F.3 gained full AMRAMM capability, the RAF preferred to arm the aircraft with Skyflash, as the combination of F.3 and Skyflash was still in many ways superior to using the AMRAAM with basic capabilities. While replaced by the AIM-120 by 2005, 600 Series (‘SuperTEMP’) Skyflash were still held in some numbers by the RAF. They were issued to some F.3 squadrons when AMRAAM stocks temporarily fell short.


AIM-120
Now the primary armament of the Tornado F.3 squadrons, the RAF first employed Alpha models of the AMRAAM, borrowed from RN stocks in the late 1990s. These missiles were used for compatibility tests and development work, before being returned to the navy. The RAF would procure two hundred Bravo model missiles from 1997, these missiles serving as the main armament of the Typhoon during its initial years in service, and the Tornado F.3 post Capability Sustainment Programme. From 2001, RAF procurement switched to the Charlie, with the C-5 being the most modern variant in service as of 2005. The switch to AIM-120C also marked establishment by Raytheon of production of the AMRAAM in the UK. By 2005, the AMRAAM was primarily used by Tornado F.3 squadrons, it was also used by some Typhoon units when stocks of Meteor missiles began to run low.


Meteor
Intended as the long-term replacement for Skyflash (the AMRAAM was only ever intended to be a stopgap), the Meteor was a joint development with Sweden and France (who wanted a more advanced missile to supplement MICA). The ramjet powered missile was significantly faster than the missile it replaced as well as its contemporaries (believed to be at least Mach.5), with also a much greater range (officially 200km), which almost put it in a class of its own (the AIM-54C had a range of 184.1 km). It was regarded as probably the most effective air to air missile in NATO service, outranging its Soviet counterpart, the R-77 (AA-12 Adder). By 2005 it was the primary air to air armament of the RAF’s Typhoons, while to a lesser extent it also armed the French Air Force’s Rafales and Swedish Air Force Gripens. The missile will also be integrated with the RAF’s (and RN’s) F-24B Scimitars and the eventual replacement for the Typhoon.

[Bernard Woolley]

Air to Surface – Guided


ALARM
From the 1970s to the 1980s the RAF had used the AS.37 Martel ARM as its anti-radar weapon. The missiles were carried by the Buccaneer fleet, and were generally intended to be used in the anti-shipping role, rather than primarily as ARM. The RAF had also briefly used the AGM-45 Shrike, fitted to Vulcan bombers during the Falklands War. The ALARM was intended to fill what was a serious gap in RAF capabilities. Unlike most ARM, the missile had a loiter mode. When that mode was employed, an ALARM would climb to an altitude of 13,000 metres when launched and deploy a parachute if the targeted radar shut down. Descending slowly, the missile would fire a secondary motor if the radar started to radiate again. Like its contemporaries, such as HARM, ALARM also had a direct attack mode, though if the targeted radar shut down, it could be programmed to enter loiter mode. Experience from the Gulf War demonstrated that radar operators could be fooled by the loiter mode, but soon came to recognise it, although that meant they permanently shut down their radars. Essentially achieving the objective of putting the radar out of action anyway. The primary user of the missile was the Tornado GR.4, though it had also been fit checked and test fired by a number of other aircraft, including the Jaguar, Harrier and Nimrod. It was also planned to integrate the ALARM on the Typhoon, and the Tornado F.3 was also proposed as potential carrier of the missile.


AGM-84 Harpoon
The RAF first procured Alpha models of the Harpoon in 1982 during the Falklands War to arm the Nimrod MR.2 fleet. Initially the missiles were carried in the Nimrod’s weapons bay, although later a missile could be carried on an external hardpoint under each wing. The RAF continued to maintain stocks of AGM-84A into the late 1990s, until the Nimrod MR.2 was replaced by the MRA.4 model. Oddly, rather than integrate the Sea Eagle missile on the new variant of the Nimrod, the RAF procured a batch of Delta model missiles.


Sea Eagle
Developed from the earlier Martel missile, the Sea Eagle was the RAF’s primary anti-ship weapon, arming the Buccaneer S.2B. Equipped with a 230kg semi-armoured piercing warhead and a range of 100 km plus, up to four of the missiles could be carried by the Buccaneer. The Tornado GR.4 could, at least in theory, also be armed with pair of Sea Eagles, but as of 2005 only fit trials had been carried out. A Mark 2 variant had begun to enter service in 2005. That variant had a dual-band seeker, improved systems to give it improved performance in littoral environments, and the ability to programme in waypoints prior to launch. Externally it did not differ from the previous variant, other than markings and did not require any changes to the aircraft employing it.


AGM-65G
With delays to Brimstone the Maverick was procured as an interim weapon for the RAF’s Harrier GR.7s. In 2005 was largely relegated to reserve stocks but was occasionally still observed on some Harriers.


Brimstone
While originally intended to be an evolution of the Hellfire with a new seeker, much as the Skyflash was an evolution of the AIM-7E, by the time Brimstone entered service it had been completely redesigned. In RAF service the missile could be used by the Tornado, Typhoon and Harrier, and by 2005 had become the primary anti-tank armament of all of those aircraft. MBDA UK developed a ‘Dual Mode’ variant, which could also be laser-guided, but as of April 2005 only a few prototypes of that variant have been produced. The MoD preferred to concentrate on the ‘fire and forget’ variant.


Storm Shadow
The Jewel-in-the-Crown of the RAF’s guided weapons, the Storm Shadow was an Anglo-French (the French variant was called SCALP-EG) low-observable, long range cruise missile first developed in the 1990s, as part of the Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile (CASOM) project. The initial variant of the missile had a 450kg BROACH penetration warhead. However, it was soon realised that there were targets, such as airfield runways, that were not suitable for the BROACH warhead. To cover those sorts of targets, the RAF procured a variant of the French Apache missile, from which Storm Shadow had been developed. Initially armed with similar sub-munitions to those used by the JP233, the weapon was designated Storm Shadow B, the original missile being retrospectively designated the A. It was designed to allow the use of a variety of bomblets, allowing it to be tailored to a number of different targets. The third main variant of the missile was Storm Shadow T, a variant of the A with the BROACH warhead replaced with a thermobaric warhead. Starting in 2002, the RAF started to procure an Extended Range variant of the missile. The ER variant had an enlarged fuel tank, extending the range from 550 to 650 kilometres. Any further extension of range would require a significant redesign of the missile. The extended range variant could be armed with the same warheads as the standard missile.


Paveway
The RAF use several variants of the Paveway guided series of laser guided bomb kits. Though in British service the base bomb is either the 540 lb (240 kg) or more commonly the 1,000 lb (450 kg), though some 2,000lb bombs were used with Paveway III. In 2005 the Paveway II and Paveway III were the most common British LGB bombs, with the Enhanced Paveway II, which added a GPS receiver, also in service. A new variant, the Paveway IV, which had a 500 lb (227 kg) warhead, was available in small numbers. It was intended to primarily be used by the F-24B and would be as effective as much larger bombs. While the IV was under development, the RAF procured a small number of American made JDAM for use by the F-24.

[Bernard Woolley]

Air to Surface – Unguided


SNEB
A French designed rocket pod, which employs a variety of 68mm folding fin rockets. Warheads have included HE, HEAT and fragmentation in RAF service. The SNEB pod was used by almost every RAF fast jet, including the Hunter, Hawk, first and second-generation Harrier, Tornado, Buccaneer and Jaguar. It had also been test fired by Nimrods. While superseded by more modern weapons, the RAF retained significant stocks of pods and rockets in 2005.


CRV7
A Canadian rocket pod system, which used 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets. Warheads for the rocket included HEPD, SAPHEI/HEISAP, anti-tank and general purpose flechettes variants, a semi-armour-piercing anti-shipping variant, and the Multi-Purpose Sub Munition, which contained nine M73 submunitions in each rocket. RAF Jaguars were the first British aircraft to use the CRV7, employing it during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. However, it was soon cleared for use with the Tornado, Typhoon, Buccaneer and Harrier, as well as being tested on the Nimrod MRA.4.


BL755
Until guided weapons like the Maverick and Brimstone became available, the BL755 cluster bomb was the RAF’s primary anti-armour weapon. Equipped with 147 sub-munitions, the bomb was employed by most RAF aircraft, including first and second-generation Harrier, Tornado, Buccaneer, and before it switched to air defence duties, the F-4 Phantom. The IBL755 was introduced shortly after the Soviets introduced the T-72 into service, whose frontal armour could defeat the bomblets. The improved bomb replaced the stabilising ‘coronet’ on the sub-munitions with a small parachute. That slowed the weapon, so that it would strike the top of the tank, which was vulnerable. The final variant to enter service, the RBL755, was developed as an Urgent Operational Requirement during the Gulf War. It added a Motorola Radar Altimeter, allowing the bomb to be employed from medium altitude. The RBL755 was largely replaced in service by the CRV7 rocket and the aforementioned missiles, however it remained in RAF stocks in 2005. The RAF Jaguar force also still had some stocks of American CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition, which it had used in the Gulf.


JP233
While when it was under development the RAF had explored arming the Jaguar and Harrier with the JP233, it was a weapon only ever used by the Tornado GR.1 and GR.4. A runway denial weapon, the JP233 was armed with 30 SG-357 cratering bomblets and 215 HB 876 mines. The former had a shaped charged warhead, intended to crater runways and other surfaces. The latter were designed to hamper repair efforts, exploding if disturbed, or at preset intervals. Deployment of the weapon required a Tornado to fly straight and level over the target. Despite that hazardous method, no Tornado employing JP233 would be shot down over Iraqi airfields in 1991. Though, one aircraft flew into terrain post-weapon delivery. With the availably of standoff weapons, such as Storm Shadow, the JP233 was withdrawn from front-line service. However, the RAF retained stocks of JP233 dispensers in 2005.


General Purpose Bombs
The RAF held stocks of a number of different variants of ‘iron’ bombs, the most common being the 1,000 lb (450 kg), though it also had 540 lb (240 kg) and 2,000 lb (907 kg) bombs. By 2005, those were generally used as the basis for Laser Guided Bombs. Although, they could and were occasional employed as ‘dumb’ bombs. All RAF fast jets, plus the Nimrod fleet, could use these weapons.

[Bernard Woolley]

Guns


ADEN 30mm
A revolver autocannon based on Mauser designs from the Second World War. With a rate of fire between 1,200 and 1,700, the ADEN entered service with the Hawker Hunter in 1954. It would be used by every British gun armed aircraft, either internally, or in pod form, until the Tornado entered service in the 1980s. It was still in widespread service in 2005, being used by the Jaguar, Harrier and Hawk. Most ADEN in service in 2005 were Mark 5 variants, though some older Mark 4 were still around. An attempt to produce an updated version, the ADEN 25, which would use more modern 25mm NATO ammunition, for the second-generation Harrier, failed. While the problems were potentially fixable, the cost of doing so was considered prohibitive. While the ADEN 25 was superior to its 30mm sibling, it was not better to the point of it being worthwhile spending the money needed. Instead, the existing ADEN 30mm would be integrated on the Harrier GR.7/9.


Mauser BK 27
A 27mm revolver autocannon developed for the Tornado in the 1960s. Was used by the Tornado and Typhoon in RAF service. The variant for the latter aircraft differing in that it used a linkless feed system to improve reliability. The RAF did consider using a version of the BK 27 on the F-24B, but felt that after the ADEN 25 fiasco, it was better to stick with the gun system the aircraft came with.


GAU-22/A
A lightweight four-barrelled variant of the GAU-12/U Equalizer used by the AV-8B. In British service it was used in a stealthy gun-pod on the Scimitar FGR.1 (F-24). A small number of guns and associated pods had been procured by 2005 for use by the Scimitars used by the joint RAF/RN-USMC test squadron.


L7A2
The GPMG was used to arm RAF Puma HC.1 and Merlin HC.3 helicopters. Generally, both helicopters were armed with two machine-guns.


M3M
A FN Herstal built variant of the Browning M3 heavy machine gun designed for use in aircraft. In RAF service it was used to arm some Merlin HC.3 and the Chinook HC.3, replacing L7 and M60D respectively.


M60D
Formed part of the armament of the RAF’s Chinook HC.2 fleet. The RAF would have preferred to have armed the upgraded helicopters with the L7, which had armed the HC.1. However, the M60D was included as part of the upgrade at no additional cost.


M134
The famous (or infamous) Minigun, which in RAF service was used as part of the armament of the RAF Chinook HC.2 and HC.3.

[Bernard Woolley]

Surface to Air


Bloodhound Mark II
A ramjet powered surface to air missile that in its Mark II was in RAF service between 1964 and 1998. A semi-fixed system used by RAF Germany and latterly in the defence of the UK, it was a formidable missile in its day. Even in the early to mid-1990s the upgraded system was one that had to be accorded respect by any aircraft attempting to penetrate the United Kingdom Air Defence Region. However, by then it had reached the end of its design life. By 2005 the Bloodhound was out of RAF service. Unusually, it was not employed by the RAF Regiment, but by standard RAF Squadrons, e.g. 25 Squadron (which would later use the Tornado F.3).


Rapier Field Standard C
The primary air defence system used by the RAF Regiment to defend air stations. The FSC, or ‘Rapier 2000’ was largely a new system when compared to the earlier variants of the Rapier. Although, it could fire the older Mark 1 missiles as well as the later Mark 2. In RAF Regiment service Rapier was used to defend air stations in the UK, West Germany, the Falkland Islands and Belize. It was a well-regarded system, which would prove effective in combat. Two squadrons of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment would briefly use the older Field Standard B2 (‘Rapier 90’), before transitioning to the FSC. FSB2 systems were held in reserve in 2005.


Broadsword
The long-awaited replacement for Bloodhound, the Broadsword was something of a monster. Both in terms of its capability and cost. Entering service in 1998, the ‘beast’ (as the Broadsword missile was known), was a very thorough design, combining a ramjet motor for sustained high speed of over Mach.5, with Thrust Vectoring Control and ‘pif-paf’ side thrusters for a high degree of manoeuvrability. The missiles were launched from Transporter Erector Launchers (TEL) similar to those used by the American Patriot, supported by phased array radars, control vans and other supporting vehicles. The Broadsword system was far more mobile than Bloodhound, allowing for easier off station deployment. Unlike Bloodhound, Broadsword was capable of engaging highly manoeuvrable targets, making it a lethal system. Initially in service with only one squadron (85 Squadron), which had six dispersed missile flights, a second unit (112 Squadron) would be formed shortly after the outbreak of the Third World War. The second squadron would take over three of the missile flights, reducing the administrative burden on the existing unit.


Oerlikon GDF-002
Fifteen of these guns, along with four Skyguard radars were captured from Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War. They were initially used by one squadron of the RAuxAF Regiment, until an additional pair of Skyguard radars were procured, allowing for a second squadron. When the units that used them re-equipped with Rapier FSB2, the GDF-002 and radars were passed on to a pair of newly raised squadrons. The system was very popular and considered very accurate, however, it was not clear in 2005 whether the RAuxAF would continue to retain the guns. Especially since additional Rapier FSC were likely to become available in the near future.


Bofors L70
The L70 variant of the 40mm Bofors had equipped RAF Regiment LAA squadrons between 1957 and 1977, before being replaced by Rapier. While many guns and their associated supporting systems were sold off, many Bofors remained in storage in 2005. Shortly after the outbreak of war they would start to be issued on a basis of two guns to each Rapier squadron, forming each unit’s C Flight. The RAF Regiment would employ the Air Defence Alerting Device, developed to support the army’s Starstreak system, to cue its L70s to hostile targets.

[Bernard Woolley]

Nuclear Weapons


WE.177A
A ‘boosted fission’ (i.e. atomic) weapon with a variable yield of 0.5 kt or 10kt, which by the 1990s was only held in RAF stocks for Buccaneers. Though it has been claimed in some sources that the Nuclear Depth Bomb variant was integrated with the Nimrod. Most reliable sources state that this was not the case, and that the Nimrod relied on American NDB. When the Tactical Nuclear Weapons Treaty came into force, all WE.177A held by the RAF were handed over to the Royal Navy for conversion into NDB configuration. Theoretically, the weapons could be reconfigured to standard gravity bombs and carried by RAF fast jets. Only the issue of aircrew lacking suitable training would stop RAF jets from carrying the A model.


WE.177B
The first version of the WE.177B to enter service, the B model was a thermonuclear weapon with a fixed yield of 450kt. First carried by RAF Vulcans and later by the Tornado, the B model would have been used in a ‘sub-strategic’ role against targets in Eastern Europe and the Western USSR. Around 53 B models are believed to have been built and were all retired by 1998 to comply with the TNWT. With the nuclear material being recycled.


WE.177C
The third version of the WE.177, the C model was also a thermonuclear weapon, although it had smaller yield of 190kt. The weapon was solely deployed in RAF Germany, first carried by Jaguars and later by Tornados. The C model would have been used in tactical strike role. Both the B and C model had an interesting feature when used in the ground-burst retarded mode – the warhead would not initiate on immediately striking the ground but had a delay of just under a second. Potentially this would give those targeted just long enough to realise that a nuclear weapon had been dropped on them. Between 48 and 60 C models are said to have been built. Like the B model all were withdrawn by 1998 and their warheads recycled.


Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile (TASM)
With the WE.177 becoming increasingly aged combined with improvements in Warsaw Pact air defences the MoD started to study a stand-off guided weapon as a potential replacement. Three missiles were proposed for the role – the Martin Marietta Low Attitude Target, Boeing’s Short Ranged Attack Missile II and the Aerospatiale Air Sol Longue Portee. Whichever missile had been chosen would also have been armed with a new warhead with a similar yield to the B and C model WE.177. While the TNWT killed the project it was believed that the AGM-131B SRAM-T was the front-runner as it was further ahead in its development phase. Much of the work that went into TASM was used in the Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile (CASOM) project that led to Storm Shadow. It has been recently noted that should the RAF need to get back into the nuclear weapons business, the Storm Shadow could comfortably carry a physics package similar to any of the WE.177 variants.

[Bernard Woolley]

Future Weapons


Joint New Air-to-Air Missile
An upgraded variant of the Meteor missile, developed in partnership with Japan. The new missile was planned to combine the AESA radar seeker of the Mitsubishi Electric AAM-4B with the body of the Meteor. While primarily intended to arm Japanese F-24s, which can’t fit the AAM-4B in their weapons bays, it is likely that the JNAAM will also be used by British Scimitars and the successor to the Typhoon.


ASRAAM Block 6
A planned upgrade of the ASRAAM, which will include a new IR seeker and updated sub-systems. It is likely that further upgrades will include components developed for the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM).


Selective Precision Effects At Range
It was planned that there will be three different systems within SPEAR:
Brimstone 2 (SPEAR 2): A significant upgrade to existing Brimstone and Brimstone Dual Mode missiles, incorporating a new seeker a more modular design and improvements to airframe and software. The Brimstone 2 will have a 200% greater range than the existing missile.
SPEAR 3: A small cruise missile based on the Brimstone. It was planned to have a range of around 140 km and could be employed as a loitering munition. It will have a small turbojet engine, rather than the solid rocket engine of the Brimstone. A SEAD variant, the SPEAR-EW, would be based on the SPEAR 3.
SPEAR 4: A major upgrade of the Storm Shadow and Storm Shadow ER missile to keep it in service until its planned Out of Service Date in the 2030s.


Brimstone 3
A further, longer-termed upgrade to the Brimstone missile. Not much is known about what it may involve.


Joint Strike Missile
Based on the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile, it was planned that the JSM would be integrated on the Scimitar. It was also likely that it would be employed by the successor to the Buccaneer in the anti-shipping role as an interim missile.


Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASuW)
Also known as Perseus, the FC/ASuW is an Anglo-French programme to produce a stealth hypersonic cruise missile. It will weigh around 800 kg and has a payload comprising one 200 kg main and two 50 kg subsidiary warheads. It will arm the aircraft that will succeed the Buccaneer in the maritime strike role, the Scimitar, Typhoon and future strike aircraft as a replacement for the Storm Shadow. FC/ASuW was only one of a number of hypersonic concepts being studied by the RAF in 2005. With both air to air and air to ground applications being considered.


CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile)
Like the Royal Artillery, the RAF Regiment planned to replace its Rapier FSC with the land-based variant of CAMM. The new system will be significantly superior to its predecessor. For example, it will have a maximum range of 25 km as opposed to 8.2 km for Rapier. That means that CAMM will be able to protect a much larger area and engage targets further away.


Broadsword 2
While Broadsword had only recently entered service in 2005, the RAF was already planning a mid-life update to the system. These would include improvements to the basic missile to give it additional range, as well as a new missile intended to be used primarily for ABM. Improvements to the radar and electronic systems were also planned.


Direct Energy Weapons
The RAF has kept up to date with the development of DEW, although none of the systems developed are small enough to fit in any strike aircraft. However, it is more than possible that at some point in its future career that the Scimitar may be armed with some sort of DEW. It is also probable that the aircraft that succeeds the Typhoon will be armed with a DEW.

[Bernard Woolley]

Just want to check whether people are interested in this sort of fact file?

[jemhouston]

I am.

[James1978]

Just want to check whether people are interested in this sort of fact file?

I am, but I suspect you already knew that.

But I think it's nice to see what @ systems got upgrades to keep them in service, and what @ late CW projects/concepts turned into something.

In that vein, I wonder if the JP233 might see some new munition options. I know the FRG MW-1 could be loaded with an anti-tank mine.

[Jotun]

Just want to check whether people are interested in this sort of fact file?

I am, but I suspect you already knew that.

But I think it's nice to see what @ systems got upgrades to keep them in service, and what @ late CW projects/concepts turned into something.

In that vein, I wonder if the JP233 might see some new munition options. I know the FRG MW-1 could be loaded with an anti-tank mine.

The pilots hated the JP233 AND the MW-1, respectively. They were big, ungainly, and heavy.. IIRC, we decided that at least the Luftwaffe is using the Bombkapsel 90 in TLW which really is little more than a Taurus body turned into a glide bomb. The Bombkapsel uses the same ammunition types as the MW-1 did. I jokingly suggested the Taurus should be called MW-3.

KB-44 (Kleinbombe 44/lit. small bomb 44): Bomblet for use against troop concentrations and sof-skinned vehicles
STABO (Startbahnbombe/Runway bomb): Same principle as the Durandal anti-runway bomb. Precursor charge and "excavation"charge.
MIFF (Mine Flach-Flach): AT mine. Two EFP charges back to back so it doesn't matter which side the mine lands on, plus 38 smaller EFPs along the edge of the mine for secondary effects
MUSA (MUlti Splitter Aktiv): Immediate or timed detonation, fragmentation charge with 2100 steel pellets each, 100m effective radius, for use against parked aircraft and vehicles
MUSPA (MUlti Splitter Passiv Aktiv): Same charge as the MUSA, but with a passive sensor that triggers a detonation when certain acoustic signatures are detected. The possible targets range from vehicles to taxiiing and even low-flying/landing/taking off aircraft (both helicopters and planes). It is actually classified as an anti-aircraft mine.

In TLW. the Bombkapsel 90/MW-2 and the Taurus also can be loaded with the SMArt 155. which means you could also cram them or rather the BONUS into a Storm Shadow. Sixteen (or was it twelve?) per unit.

Maybe the RAF takes a look at the Bombkapsel 90?

[Bernard Woolley]

The Tornado crews were absolutely shocked at how the JP233 lit them up. IIRC, I don’t think many crews had actually used a live version of the weapon & all the training films were, of course, shot in daylight. It was not really surprising that the RAF wanted to get away from a dispenser system as soon as they could.

It’s possible that the RAF would look at Bombkapsel 90, though Storm Shadow B does cover the sub-munition angle. There’s no reason that different bomblets could be loaded in the missile as needed.

[Jotun]

The Tornado crews were absolutely shocked at how the JP233 lit them up. IIRC, I don’t think many crews had actually used a live version of the weapon & all the training films were, of course, shot in daylight. It was not really surprising that the RAF wanted to get away from a dispenser system as soon as they could.

It’s possible that the RAF would look at Bombkapsel 90, though Storm Shadow B does cover the sub-munition angle. There’s no reason that different bomblets could be loaded in the missile as needed.

There is one thing that especially the budgeteers would love. Bombkapsel 90 is certainly a lot cheaper than Sorm Shadow. More bang for the…Pound

[Matt Wiser]

Just want to check whether people are interested in this sort of fact file?

I think you knew I would be.

[Bernard Woolley]