Laydown delivery is a mode of delivery found in some nucleargravity bombs: the bomb's descent to the target is slowed by parachute so that it lands on the ground without detonating. The bomb then detonates by timer some time later.[1] Laydown delivery requires the weapon to be reinforced so that it can survive the force of impact.[2]
Laydown modes are used to make weapon delivery survivable by aircraft flying at low level.[3] Low-altitude delivery helps hide the aircraft from surface-to-air missiles.[4] The ground burst detonation of a laydown delivered weapon is used to increase the effect of the weapon's blast on built-up targets such as submarine pens, or to transmit a shock wave through the ground to attack deeply-buried targets. An attack of this type produces large amounts of radioactive fallout.
The issue of aircraft survivability led to laydown being selected for the Vickers Valiant bomber of the Royal Air Force, as the design became increasingly vulnerable to Soviet weapons, especially the SA-2 missile. The low-level laydown delivery was referred to as "Equipment 2 Foxtrot" in RAF parlance; alternatives included "2 Echo" toss bombing and "2 Hotel", a particular climbing delivery method used by the Avro Vulcan.[4]
United Statesedit
B28 bomb — Only in the RE (retarded external), RI (retarded internal) and FI (full-fuzing internal) versions of the weapon. The RE and RI versions of the weapon used the W28 mod 1 warhead and were an interim weapon only capable of laydown delivery at 2,000 feet (610 m) altitude, while the FI version using W28 Mod 2 and later warheads was capable of 500 feet (150 m) delivery.[5]
B53 bomb — Full-fuzing option (FUFO) weapon with laydown.[6] The weapon later lost FUFO in its B53-1 upgrade in 1988, having only laydown fuzing.[7]
B61 bomb — Full-fuzing option (FUFO) weapon with laydown. Capable of laydown delivery at 50 feet (15 m) altitude.[8]
B83 bomb — Full-fuzing option (FUFO) weapon with laydown.[9]
^Sublette, Carey (2 April 1997). "The B-53 (Mk-53) Bomb". Nuclear Weapon Archive. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^Sandia Weapon Review: Nuclear Weapon Characteristics Handbook (PDF) (Report). Sandia National Labs. September 1990. p. 47, 64. SAND90-1238. (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-12.
^History of the TX-61 Bomb (Report). Sandia National Laboratories. August 1971. from the original on 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
^Sublette, Carey (11 November 1997). "The B83 (Mk-83) Bomb". Nuclear Weapon Archive. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
This military aviation article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
laydown, delivery, mode, delivery, found, some, nuclear, gravity, bombs, bomb, descent, target, slowed, parachute, that, lands, ground, without, detonating, bomb, then, detonates, timer, some, time, later, requires, weapon, reinforced, that, survive, force, im. Laydown delivery is a mode of delivery found in some nuclear gravity bombs the bomb s descent to the target is slowed by parachute so that it lands on the ground without detonating The bomb then detonates by timer some time later 1 Laydown delivery requires the weapon to be reinforced so that it can survive the force of impact 2 Laydown modes are used to make weapon delivery survivable by aircraft flying at low level 3 Low altitude delivery helps hide the aircraft from surface to air missiles 4 The ground burst detonation of a laydown delivered weapon is used to increase the effect of the weapon s blast on built up targets such as submarine pens or to transmit a shock wave through the ground to attack deeply buried targets An attack of this type produces large amounts of radioactive fallout Contents 1 Weapons with laydown delivery options 1 1 United Kingdom 1 2 United States 2 See also 3 ReferencesWeapons with laydown delivery options editUnited Kingdom edit The issue of aircraft survivability led to laydown being selected for the Vickers Valiant bomber of the Royal Air Force as the design became increasingly vulnerable to Soviet weapons especially the SA 2 missile The low level laydown delivery was referred to as Equipment 2 Foxtrot in RAF parlance alternatives included 2 Echo toss bombing and 2 Hotel a particular climbing delivery method used by the Avro Vulcan 4 United States edit B28 bomb Only in the RE retarded external RI retarded internal and FI full fuzing internal versions of the weapon The RE and RI versions of the weapon used the W28 mod 1 warhead and were an interim weapon only capable of laydown delivery at 2 000 feet 610 m altitude while the FI version using W28 Mod 2 and later warheads was capable of 500 feet 150 m delivery 5 B53 bomb Full fuzing option FUFO weapon with laydown 6 The weapon later lost FUFO in its B53 1 upgrade in 1988 having only laydown fuzing 7 B61 bomb Full fuzing option FUFO weapon with laydown Capable of laydown delivery at 50 feet 15 m altitude 8 B83 bomb Full fuzing option FUFO weapon with laydown 9 See also editAir burst Toss bombing Nuclear bunker busterReferences edit History of the Mk 28 Weapon Report Sandia National Laboratories August 1968 p 24 Archived from the original on 2021 07 07 Retrieved 2021 03 18 History of the Mk 28 Weapon p 24 25 History of the Mk 28 Weapon p 24 a b Kristan Stoddart Losing an Empire and Finding a Role Palgrave Macmillan 2012 pp 104 106 History of the Mk 28 Weapon Sublette Carey 2 April 1997 The B 53 Mk 53 Bomb Nuclear Weapon Archive Retrieved 29 November 2021 Sandia Weapon Review Nuclear Weapon Characteristics Handbook PDF Report Sandia National Labs September 1990 p 47 64 SAND90 1238 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 01 12 History of the TX 61 Bomb Report Sandia National Laboratories August 1971 Archived from the original on 2021 03 30 Retrieved 2021 02 05 Sublette Carey 11 November 1997 The B83 Mk 83 Bomb Nuclear Weapon Archive Retrieved 21 November 2021 nbsp This military aviation article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article related to nuclear weaponry is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laydown delivery amp oldid 1218592778, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
