- GBU-28
The Guided Bomb Unit 28 (GBU-28) is a 5,000 pound / 2268 kg
laser-guided "bunker busting"bomb nicknamed "deep throat" produced originally by the Texas Instruments division Defense Systems and Electronics Group (division since sold to Raytheon). It was specifically developed forUS Military use inOperation Desert Storm to penetrate hardenedIraq i command centres located deep under ground. However, only two of these weapons were dropped in Desert Storm, both by F-111Fs. [ [http://es.rice.edu/projects/Poli378/Gulf/gwtxt_ch6.html#GBU-28 Report to Congress on the Conduct of the Persian Gulf War] ]The initial batch of GBU-28s were built from modified 8 inch/203 mm artillery barrels (principally from deactivated
M110 howitzer s), but later warheads were purpose-built. [ [http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app5/paveway-3.html Raytheon (Texas Instruments) Paveway III - Designation Systems] ] They weigh 4,700 pounds/2132 kg and contain 630 pounds / 286 kg ofhigh explosive . The operator illuminates a target with alaser designator and then themunition guides to a spot of laser energy reflected from the target.The bomb underwent critical testing in
Nevada at theTonopah Test Range , a major test facility forUnited States Department of Energy funded weapon programs. It proved capable of penetrating over 30 metres (100 ft) of earth or 6 metres (20 ft) of solid concrete. [ [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/gbu-28.htm Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28) Bunker Buster - Smart Weapons ] ] The GBU-28 is unique in that the total development time from conception to the first drop test took only 12 weeks, and the weapon went into active service after only one test drop. [ [http://www.ausairpower.net/GBU-28.html Raytheon GBU-28 Bunker Buster ] ]The first foreign sale of the GBU-28 was the acquisition of 100 units by
Israel , authorized in April 2005. [ [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0427-05.htm US Wants to Sell Israel ‘Bunker-Buster’ Bombs ] ] Delivery of the weapons was accelerated at the request of Israel in July 2006. According toIsraeli Military sources,Hezbollah puts their rocket launchers in bunkers and fortifications underground. [AMy Teibel, [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080915/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_bunker_busters US plans to sell Israel 1,000 bunker-buster bombs] , September 15, 2008.]Notes
External links
*Whitney Raas and Austin Long, [http://web.mit.edu/ssp/Publications/working_papers/wp_06-1.pdf Osirak Redux? Assessing Israeli Capabilities to Destroy Iranian Nuclear Facilities] , MIT Security Studies Program Working Paper, April 2006.
* [http://www.ausairpower.net/GBU-28.html The GBU-28 Bunker Buster]
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