Atlanta Journal and Constitution March 5, 2002
Bomb can kill in two stages
By Mike Toner
The American military's newest laser-guided bomb, "Big Blue Two," is so deadly that some critics say it should be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.
The bomb, formally known as BLU-118/B, was used in combat for the first time over the weekend in Afghanistan. It is the latest in what promises to be a series of special weapons designed to fill a gap in the U.S. munitions arsenal and destroy the underground bunkers and caves that harbor al-Qaida and Taliban forces. Although the 2,000-pound "thermobaric" bomb, developed by the Navy Surface Weapons Center, is still considered experimental, one was dropped in eastern Afghanistan during the aerial bombardment preceding the current allied ground offensive around Gardez, south of the capital of Kabul.
Damage assessments have not been published, but tests of the new bomb last December in a tunnel at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada provide a hint of its capabilities.
The new bomb detonates in a two-stage explosion. The first blast, which occurs during its penetration of an underground bunker or cave, scatters a fine mist of explosive powder, which is ignited a split second later to create a much larger explosion.
In a confined space, the initial blast wave, like a conventional explosive, mangles anything within range. The secondary fireball, which can burn for an extended period, incinerates anyone still alive.
A Central Intelligence Agency report describes the effect: "Those near the ignition point are obliterated. Those near the fringe are likely to suffer many internal injuries, including burst ear drums, crushed inner ear organs, severe concussions, ruptured lungs and internal organs, and possibly blindness."
Despite its one-two destructive punch, the bomb leaves the cave structure intact so it can be searched later. Military planners say the mix of explosive in the fuel-rich warhead can even be tailored to destroy chemical or biological weapons without dispersing them into the atmosphere.
"It is something we clearly have a need for in Afghan- istan," said Pete Aldridge, the defense undersecretary for acquisition. The bomb, which takes its name from the Greek words for heat and pressure, has been in development for two years, but after the test in December, it was rushed into production. Officials say 10 have now been delivered for use in the Afghan conflict.
"These bombs have not been extensively tested, so it isn't clear how effective they are," said John Pike, a military analyst with GlobalSecurity.org. "But they appear to do much greater damage, pound for pound, than conventional explosives."
Americans aren't the first to resort to such measures in Afghanistan.
The Russian Army used similar fuel-air explosives --- also called vacuum bombs --- during their occupation of Afghanistan and, more recently, against guerrillas in the breakaway region of Chechnya.
The Russian weapons relied on a mist of liquid explosives for the secondary detonation. The U.S. solid powder reportedly burns for longer periods of time.
Russia has been roundly condemned for the use of such weapons of war a decade ago --- in part because incendiary weapons are banned by international convention.
Criticism of the United States for its version of the weapons has emerged quickly, too --- first from Iran's Voice of the Islamic Republic and on Monday, from Greenpeace, whose disarmament spokesman, William Peden, said that "the weapons are inhumane and should not be used in a conventional war context."
Copyright 2002 The Atlanta Constitution
