Wednesday Warporn

This weapon system has been linked here before, but this video of it is, I believe, new.

More:

The SFW, a 1,000-pound class weapon, contains our own BLU-108 submunition and Smart Skeet warheads. Equipped with dual-mode passive infrared and active laser sensors on each warhead, one SFW can simultaneously detect and engage many fixed and moving land combat targets within a 30-acre coverage area.

Combat proven on April 2, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom, SFW took out multiple Iraqi tanks in a single pass. SFW's 40 warheads are also equipped with timed self- de-activation modes for clean battlefield operation.

More detail:

The CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon cluster munition combines 10 submunitions with 4 skeet type warheads in a single dispenser, providing 40 weapons total. After release, a fuze causes the dispenser to disperse the 10 submunitions, each stabilized by a parachute. At a preset altitude a rocket fires, propelling the submunition in an upward vector. As the submunition climbs, it is spun to disperse the 4 internal skeet warheads randomly by centrifugal force.

An IR sensor in each warhead searches for a target, and upon discovery detonates over it, firing a kinetic fragment. The fragment drives itself through the lightly armored top of the target. If no target is found, the sensor detonates the warhead above ground to spray the battlefield with a myriad of lethal fragments. This weapon is good against armor and soft skinned targets, covering a 4,800 square yard area.

And what could be better than a flyin' laser of death? A cutaway view of a flyin' laser of death, that's what.

Thanks to Krakatoa and Arthur for those.

posted by Ace at 04:30 PM

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