On December 6, the US Department of Defense announced that General Dynamics - Ordnance and Tactical Systems had received a $ 264 million contract from the US Army for the supply of Mk-80 and BLU-109 Tritonal bombs.
Estimated date of completion of the contract - October 31, 2023.
The class of general purpose bombs includes four main types of bombs:
- Mk-81 is a nominal weight of 250 pounds (113 kg);
- Mk-82 - nominal weight of 500 pounds (227 kg);
- Mk-83 is a nominal weight of 1000 pounds (454 kg);
- The Mk 84 is a nominal weight of 2,000 pounds (907 kg).
The BLU-109 is a bomb for penetrating protected underground objects. The BLU-109 has a steel casing with a thickness of about 1 inch (25.4 mm), filled to 530 pounds (240 kg) of explosive. She has a tail delay fuse. The BLU-109 entered service in 1985. It is also used as a warhead of some types of electro-optically controlled bombs: GBU-15, GBU-27 Paveway III with laser control and in AGM-130 missiles.
Like other “bunker” bombs, the BLU-109 is designed for punching concrete shelters and other solid structures before an explosion.
