US / ALLIED CBU-103, CBU-104, CBU-105 WCMD

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CBU-103, CBU-104, CBU-105 WCMD

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General Info:

Origin = USA
Type = Wind Corrected Munition Dispenser
Guidance method = internal guidance
Platforms = B-1, B-52, F-15E, F-16, and F-117

CBU-103 (CBU-87) CBU-104 (CBU-89) CBU-105 (CBU-97)

While low altitude, high speed laydown deliveries are consistent with tactics used against heavily defended target sets such as the robust Soviet/Warsaw Pact threat envisioned in Central Europe, low altitude tactics were not the preferred option during Desert Storm where the USAF used medium/high altitude weapons employment to provide fighter and bomber aircraft a sanctuary against short range surface to air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery fire. The inexpensive tail kit inertially steers the munition from a known release point to precise target coordinates while compensating for launch transients, winds aloft, surface winds and adverse weather.


The Wind Compensated Munitions Dispenser [WCMD "Wick-Mid"] is intended to remedy this current shortfall in Tactical Munition Dispenser munitions, such as the CBU-87 CEM [Combined Effects Munition], CBU-89 GATOR and CBU-97 SFW [Sensor Fuzed Weapon]. The weapon will use inertial guidance only (no GPS). The WCMD program develops a tail kit for these inventory dispenser weapons. These weapons will be capable of delivery from medium to high altitude delivery when equipped with a WCMD kit. The WCMD weapon will correct for wind effects and errors during the weapon's ballistic fall. The WCMD kit will turn these "dumb" bombs into accurate "smart" weapons. Currently, the dispenser is achieving an accuracy of within 30 feet. Both fighter and bomber aircraft will be able to employ WCMD from a wide range of altitudes, in adverse weather, using various tactics such as level, dive, and toss bombing, and bombing on coordinates.


WCMD Limited Initial Operational Capability was achieved on the B-52 in November 1998. The first WCMDs were operationally fielded in 2000, when the weapon was certified for use on the B-52 and F-16. WCMD-equipped weapons are planned for employment on the B-1, B-52, F-15E, F-16, and F-117 aircraft. WCMD went into full production in April 2001. By the end of November 2001, a total of 600 cluster bombs had been dropped over Afghanistan, consisting of 450 BLU-103 and 150 BLU-87 munitions. As of September 2002 the Air Force had dropped about 700 WCMD bombs in Afghanistan from B-52 bombers and F-16 fighters, by which time about 7,000 of the specialized inertial guidance navigation tail kits remained in inventory.
 
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