Flash! Textron Begins CBU-105 Weapon Deliveries To India

[sathya]

U.S. firm Textron Defense Systems has begun deliveries of 512 CBU-105 sensor fuzed munitions to India. The company began deliveries of the weapon system to the U.S. Air Force in September -- it is a foreign military sale (FMS) to India and therefore needs to be routed through the applicable U.S. service -- and will complete deliveries by the end of the year. Deliveries to the Indian Air Force by the U.S. Air Force are likely to begin early 2013.

A 2010 government to government contract worth $257.73-million was cleared after India expressed interest in the weapon in 2008. Textron began production for the Indian order in February 2011. The weapon is likely to be deployed from the IAF's Jaguar strike aircraft and Su-30MKI air dominance fighters.

As a result of treaties on cluster munitions that India and the US are not signatories to, India's interest in the CBU-105 has been perceived as controversial, though the Indian government has persistently committed to the use of such weapons only against military targets.

http://livefist.blogspot.in/2012/11/textron-begins-cbu-105-weapon.html

 

[Virendra]

Few points to add here:
The delivered bombs have a 'Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD)' tail kit.
Without the tail kit, the bomb's accuracy will take hit if there is an increase in release altitude, dive angle, and/or time of flight. Imagine that the Himalayan warfare needs of India
If India intends to use these CBs as Counter Terror strikes, then accuracy becomes a critical factor to consider.
With the tail kit configured ammunition, delivery altitude increases up to 40,000 feet and theoretically up to 12 miles standoff range can be achieved.
That was probably the first reason India opted for this ammunition.
Also, it is touted as highly effective against tank columns. Which becomes more relevant on the eastern border, specially the plains in Ladakh theatre.
It will be used on Jaguar for now, but with Rafale being hardware compliant to MIL-STD-1760 avionics standard for this bomb. I think we will have more options in the future.
That is of course if the software part is resolved. God .. the strings that Americans attach

Regards,
Virendra

 

[LETHALFORCE]

These were fast tracked to India by USA after 26/11. This must be another order?

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/strategic-forces/3475-cbu-105-95-sensor-fuzed-weapon.html

 

[sayareakd]

we have something like this with smerch rocket from Russia

300 mm 9M55K1 Rocket Projectile with Sensor-Fuzed Submunitions Scattering Cluster Warhead
9M55K1 RP is designed to engage from atop formations of armoured materiel including tanks.

Technical specifications
Weight 800 kg
Length 7600 mm
Warhead weight 243 kg
Warhead length 2049 mm
Number of submunitions 5
Weight of submunitions 15 kg
Weight of the explosive in a submunition 4.5 kg
Homogeneous armour piercing ability
at angle of 30° 70 mm
Range of fire
- max
- min
70 km
20 km
Weight of a canister with 2 RP 1934 kg

Just in case things become bad with two front war.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

These smerch rockets are being manufactured in India.

http://indrus.in/articles/2012/08/29/india_russia_sign_agreement_on_smerch_rockets_17267.html

 

[Kunal Biswas]

I think we need to make a Home made design to fire 300mm BM-30 Rockets..

Present number of BM-30 in IA is below the level of need..

 

[maomao]

Indeed a good news!