Tuesday, February 09, 2016

But Does It Go to Eleven?

The Europeans have a variable power bomb:

[A European company] has developed RADIUS (Range Adaptable Device Incorporating Unique Scaling) which allows high explosive bombs their yield (size of the explosion) set by the operator just before use. RADIUS was successfully tested using two 227 kilograms (500 pound). Each of these bombed contains about 45 kg (100 pounds) of high explosives. One of the modified bombs was detonated at full power setting, creating an explosion similar to an ordinary Mk 82,bomb while the other one was detonated at the lowest, 10 percent setting, with the expected, smaller output, roughly similar to that of a 155mm (6 inch) artillery shell. So far this is considered to be the upper end of size of warhead to which this technology is applicable, the low one being about 1 kg (2.2 pounds) missile warheads.

I'm just waiting for that 110% setting. For when you want that extra push over the cliff.