Bombing ISIS Island

[meleagertoo]

From the video one can see a number of bombs bursting simultaneously in pairs, as well they might if dropped simultaneously.
That led me to wondering if there is an advantage in detonating bombs in carefully spaced or sequenced patterns to enhance blast effect by simultaneous detonation.
Is this technique used? Artillery do similar tricks with simultaneous arrival of shells, why not the Air Force?

[diginagain]

Artillery do similar tricks with simultaneous arrival of shells, ...
More by luck than judgement.

[Less Hair]

You can time it to hit synchronous. And even "store" rounds in the air and have them hit the same spot together with others that were fired afterwards.

[Training Risky]

advantage in detonating bombs in carefully spaced or sequenced patterns to enhance blast effect.
Is this technique used?

The Harrier GR7 Simulated Attack Profile with 500 lb freefall bombs was a pair split into singletons before the target, one flies a short dogleg route and arrives over the target from a different direction (90 degrees out) from the first which dropped at the time on target (TOT), then the second dropped at TOT + 30 seconds (IIRC). This is why you see the importance of time on target hammered into the students in certain tv programmes!

This SAP ensured concentration of force and surprise - all good principles of war!

[Pontius Navigator]

A full fig Vulcan attack, never actually practised had No 1 fly straight through, No 2 45 deg crossing 30 seconds later, No 3 45 deg from the other side. Finally No 4 straight through.

Had it all worked 40 tons in 90 seconds would have been a bit noisy. I haven't looked at the fall out for the following aircraft. The nearest we got was 3 aircraft in trail, 2 mile separation in simulated night over a route in Libya.

[orca]

Actually the spacing over target - for a low level highdrag/ lay down delivery ensured that you weren’t fragged by previously employed weapons. 30 seconds or so spacing, when viewed from the ground could be described as anything other than surprise and concentration of force.

[Bob Viking]

I feel sure you meant to say retarded bombs not free fall for your low level scenario.

Also, I think the OP was asking a subtly different question. I haven’t seen the video he alluded to but from the wording I think he is asking if bombs were used in a way such that the blast effects of each weapon could be combined concurrently for extra effect.

Historically (I am certainly not about to discuss any current weapons or tactics) the blast and frag of multiple weapons were just used in the conventional sense. Drop as many as you needed to be sure of destroying the target.

Weapons technology has of course moved on since dumb 500/1000 pounders. I’m sure google can be used for further amplification.

BV

[BEagle]

The video showed detonation of 36 000 kg of ordnance in a very short period of time:

https://www.military.com/video/air-force-drops-80000-pounds-bombs-isis-island

[meleagertoo]

Also, I think the OP was asking a subtly different question. I haven’t seen the video he alluded to but from the wording I think he is asking if bombs were used in a way such that the blast effects of each weapon could be combined concurrently for extra effect.
BV

Exactly that. Is a carefully placed group of simultaneous and converging shock-fronts more effective than the same number of individual shock-fronts over the same area?

From experience of hydrodynamics in a wave tank you'd certainly expect to see localised amplified wave effects.

[Training Risky]

I feel sure you meant to say retarded bombs not free fall for your low level scenario.

Also, I think the OP was asking a subtly different question. I haven’t seen the video he alluded to but from the wording I think he is asking if bombs were used in a way such that the blast effects of each weapon could be combined concurrently for extra effect.

Historically (I am certainly not about to discuss any current weapons or tactics) the blast and frag of multiple weapons were just used in the conventional sense. Drop as many as you needed to be sure of destroying the target.

Weapons technology has of course moved on since dumb 500/1000 pounders. I’m sure google can be used for further amplification.

BV
Yes of course K RETs. It has been a long time...

I don't think mass application of bombs has been tried to maximise shockwave effects. The only thing I can think of that is kind of close (but not really) is a certain Tornado-mounted cruise missile, and I'm not going to discuss that here!

[etudiant]

Afaik, there has been lots of work done on hyperbaric weapons, albeit mostly for anti personnel applications.
Whether such effects were achieved in this instance is unknown, but the flat and open nature of the terrain is not helpful.

[Navy_Adversary]

Could the USAF not have flown a C-130 over the island and given ISIS a 911 present, a MOAB? :)

[212man]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-iraq-us-air-force-bombing-qanus-island-video-a9100526.html

[hunterboy]

I’m not sure using words like “infested” are helping though? Aren’t we supposed to be the good guys?

[Two's in]

I’m not sure using words like “infested” are helping though? Aren’t we supposed to be the good guys?

Aaah, now you're thinking. Slick music, sharply edited video, couple of Iraqi brass in shot and a couple of million dollars worth of HE wankfest to keep those munitions stock fully rotated, but strangely little detail of the target, weapons effect and the BDA. You might as well drop there as Tonapah, but let's not pretend it was anything other than a "us.gov" promotional video. A bit like a Staff College firepower demo without the intellect.

[Pontius Navigator]

ORAC, 30 seconds apart with 10 second sticks gives just 20 seconds gaps. According to the ground defence commander at Stanley I think 20 seconds would have been nothing.

[Lima Juliet]

Surely a job for a single Bone - 84x Mk82s? Or 24x JDAMs in a single delivery?


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/500x494/image_39f19684f8f464828d21b12fb4eb279b79ce6e8d.jpeg

[Pontius Navigator]

What the video did show was the impracticality of short interval laydown attacks on sand. Thinking back, I would have to check my log book for dates, but our tactics may have envisaged a pop up profile so we would have been above the debris zone.