Mark 81 bomb explained

Mark 81 General Purpose (GP) Bomb
Origin:	United States
Type:	Low-drag general-purpose bomb
Is Explosive:	yes
Weight:	262lb
Length:	74abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Diameter:	9inches
Filling:	Tritonal, Minol or Composition H-6
Filling Weight:	96lb

The Mark 81 is a general-purpose 250lb bomb (nicknamed "Firecracker"). It's the smallest of the Mark 80 series of low-drag general-purpose bombs.

Development and deployment

Developed for United States military forces in the 1950s, it was first used during the Vietnam War. The bomb consists of a forged steel case with of Composition H6, Minol or Tritonal explosive. The power of the Mk 81 was found to be inadequate for U.S. military tactical use, and it was quickly discontinued, although license-built copies or duplicates of this weapon remain in service with various other nations.

Development of a precision guided variant of the Mk 81 bomb (GBU-29) was started due to its potential to reduce collateral damage compared to larger bombs, but this program has now been cancelled^[1] in favor of the Small Diameter Bomb.

Variants

• Mark 81 Snakeye fitted with a Mark 14 TRD (Tail Retarding Device) to increase the bomb's drag after release. The bomb's increased air-time, coupled with its (relatively) forgiving safe drop envelope, allowed for very low-level bombing runs at slower speed. Used commonly in the close air support role in Vietnam (prior to wider availability of GBU-series precision ordnance). Nicknamed "snake", as in the typical Vietnam support loadout of "snake and nape" (250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye bombs and 500 lb M-47 napalm canisters).
• GBU-29 Joint Direct Attack Munition, a precision guided version of the Mark 81 (cancelled).^[1]

See also

• Small Diameter Bomb
• Mark 82 bomb
• Mark 83 bomb
• Mark 84 bomb

References

Sources

• Book: Tom, Gervasi . Arsenal of Democracy II: American military power in the 1980s and the origins of the new cold war with a survey of American weapons and arms exports . Paperback . 2 . 1981 . The Book Service (TBS) Ltd. . London, England . 978-0-394-17662-8 . registration .

External links

• Mk81 GP Bomb
• Mk81 General-Purpose Bomb
• DUMB BOMBS, FUZES, AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS

Notes and References

1. Web site: GBU-29 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). GlobalSecurity.org. 13 October 2010.