| Mark 83 General-Purpose (GP) Bomb | |
| Origin: | United States |
| Type: | Low-drag general-purpose (LDGP) bomb |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Weight: | 1014lb |
| Length: | 119.49inches |
| Diameter: | 14.06inches |
| Filling: | Tritonal, Minol, or Composition H-6 |
| Filling Weight: | 445lb |
The Mark 83 is a 1000lb bomb, part of the Mark 80 series of low-drag general-purpose bombs in United States service.
The nominal weight of the bomb is 1000lb, although its actual weight varies between 985lb and 1030lb, depending on fuze options,[1] and fin configuration.[2] The Mk 83 is a streamlined steel casing containing 445lb of tritonal high explosive. When filled with PBXN-109 thermally insensitive explosive, the bomb is designated BLU-110.
The Mk 83/BLU-110 is used as the warhead for a variety of precision-guided weapons, including the GBU-16 Paveway laser-guided bombs, the GBU-32 JDAM and Quickstrike sea mines.
The Mk 83 is also used as the warhead in a variety of Pakistani smart bombs made by GIDS. During Operation Swift Retort in 2019, 2 JF-17 Thunders of the No. 16 Squadron "Black Panthers" armed with newly developed Mk. 83 Range Extension Kit (REK) bombs struck military targets in Indian Held Kashmir.[3] [4] [5]
This bomb is most typically used by the United States Navy but is also used by the USAF in the F-22A in a JDAM configuration. According to a test report conducted by the United States Navy's Weapon System Explosives Safety Review Board (WSESRB) established in the wake of the 1967 USS Forrestal fire, the cooking-off time for a Mk 83 is approximately 8 minutes 40 seconds.