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Air-to-Ground Weapons 97
AIR-TO-GROUND WEAPONS
Air-to-ground weapons come in two categories: guided and unguided. Guided
weapons include air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs. Unguided
weapons include rockets and free-fall bombs.
Free-fall bombs, also called iron bombs, are the mainstay of air-to-ground
weapons. Although modern guided weapons are substantially more accurate,
such “smart” weapons are also substantially more expensive. Iron bombs,
therefore, have remained in widespread service around the world for seven
decades.
Iron bombs are not particularly accurate. They simply fall to the ground with no
ability to maneuver or steer. The launching aircraft must fly a stable, consistent
flight path when releasing the weapon. Banking the wings or making sudden pitch
changes when releasing the weapon slings it off course. Wind can also push the
bomb off course. Therefore, iron bombs should not be used in situations requiring
high precision or minimal collateral damage.
hSudden flight path changes when releasing iron bombs greatly
reduces accuracy.
The effective range of an iron bomb depends primarily on two factors: the speed
and the altitude of the releasing aircraft. Increasing speed and increasing altitude
“throws” the bomb further. The following table illustrates the effect of airspeed
and altitude on the effective range of a typical 500 lb iron bomb when released
from straight-and-level flight.
Altitude (AGL) Airspeed (kts) Bomb Range (ft)
500 240 2100
500 400 3600
1000 240 3100
1000 400 5100
1500 240 3800
1500 400 6300
2000 240 4400
2000 400 7200
4000 240 6200
4000 400 10200
Iron bombs come in many sizes and shapes, ranging from 500 lbs to 2,000 lbs.
Most “general purpose” bombs carry a single explosive warhead, while Cluster
Bomb Units (CBUs) contain a canister of “bomblets” which are dispersed over a
wide area.
hIron bomb range is primarily determined by the speed and altitude of