PDU-5/B
In January 2000 came MSgt. Charles Doig, a worker in the department of psychological operations, Air Intelligence Agency, with the proposal of the compensation "letákových" bombs M129 used by the u.s. air force for psychological fight even in times of Vietnam War. The life of these bombs have already started to slowly but surely close to its end. Among their other drawbacks included that greatly restrict the flight envelope of their carriers. In addition, half of the laminátového of the hull for the "purging" of leaflets separated pyrotechnicky. The detonation of the cord occurred often to ignite parts of the leaflets, which were cancelled even earlier than ever fell to the ground.
The first consideration with the fact that substitute M129 becomes the container of the SUU-30H/B used for container bombs CBU-58 and CBU-71, which began to phase out of the equipment. SUU-30H/B would not suffer from such limitations as M129E1/E2, so that would be only a "recyklovaly" and instead of submunitions would bear paper handouts. The first shozu letákové version of the SUU-30 known under the designation LBU-30 (releases leaflet bomb unit) took place in February 2001. Tests were conducted at the florida base Eglin and the course has been successfully odhozu bombs from an aeroplane F-16 flying at a height of approximately 6 100 metres. Nakonce turned out that delaborace container bombs, from which should be used containers SUU-30H/B, is financially too costly and the project came together.
The initiative, however, then took the Lt.Col. Bill Beckinger of the Air Force Information Warfare Battlelab, which fell into the eye of the container SUU-76/B used for bombs CBU-100 Rockeye II, that suit better than the older SUU-30H/B. Under the leadership of Maj. Rick Walla conducted flight tests on the base Eglin with the use of the machines F-16 from the arms of the 40th Flight Test Squadron. First flight with the modified container, then značeným SUU-76C/B, occurred in November 2001. The test ended in success, the certification of the bomb with the designation of the PDU-5/B on the aircraft of the u.s. air force followed not long after. The PDU-5/B soon got into the crosshairs of the u.s. naval air force. Shortly before the start of operation Enduring Freedom so u test squadron VX-23 started intensive tests of bombs, which lasted just two weeks.
A modification of the bombs CBU-100 Rockeye II "letákové" PDU-5/B started in January 2002. The bombs were then deployed into the combat actions of Afghanistan (operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (operation Iraqi Freedom). Flyers from the PDU-5/B went to the first night of operation Iraqi Freedom on the territory of Baghdad. One the PDU-5/B can accommodate a little over 60 000 pieces of leaflets.
Resources
1) Jackowski, M.: First Strike on baghdad street, Intercom, September 2003
2) Friedman, H. And.: PSYOPS Outdoor, Psywarrior Website, May 2004
3) Donato, D.: Turning ideas into innovation - AFIWB on top of technology, Lackland Talespinner, July 29, 2005
4) Battlelab success stories .
In January 2000 came MSgt. Charles Doig, a worker in the department of psychological operations, Air Intelligence Agency, with the proposal of the compensation "letákových" bombs M129 used by the u.s. air force for psychological fight even in times of Vietnam War. The life of these bombs have already started to slowly but surely close to its end. Among their other drawbacks included that greatly restrict the flight envelope of their carriers. In addition, half of the laminátového of the hull for the "purging" of leaflets separated pyrotechnicky. The detonation of the cord occurred often to ignite parts of the leaflets, which were cancelled even earlier than ever fell to the ground.
The first consideration with the fact that substitute M129 becomes the container of the SUU-30H/B used for container bombs CBU-58 and CBU-71, which began to phase out of the equipment. SUU-30H/B would not suffer from such limitations as M129E1/E2, so that would be only a "recyklovaly" and instead of submunitions would bear paper handouts. The first shozu letákové version of the SUU-30 known under the designation LBU-30 (releases leaflet bomb unit) took place in February 2001. Tests were conducted at the florida base Eglin and the course has been successfully odhozu bombs from an aeroplane F-16 flying at a height of approximately 6 100 metres. Nakonce turned out that delaborace container bombs, from which should be used containers SUU-30H/B, is financially too costly and the project came together.
The initiative, however, then took the Lt.Col. Bill Beckinger of the Air Force Information Warfare Battlelab, which fell into the eye of the container SUU-76/B used for bombs CBU-100 Rockeye II, that suit better than the older SUU-30H/B. Under the leadership of Maj. Rick Walla conducted flight tests on the base Eglin with the use of the machines F-16 from the arms of the 40th Flight Test Squadron. First flight with the modified container, then značeným SUU-76C/B, occurred in November 2001. The test ended in success, the certification of the bomb with the designation of the PDU-5/B on the aircraft of the u.s. air force followed not long after. The PDU-5/B soon got into the crosshairs of the u.s. naval air force. Shortly before the start of operation Enduring Freedom so u test squadron VX-23 started intensive tests of bombs, which lasted just two weeks.
A modification of the bombs CBU-100 Rockeye II "letákové" PDU-5/B started in January 2002. The bombs were then deployed into the combat actions of Afghanistan (operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (operation Iraqi Freedom). Flyers from the PDU-5/B went to the first night of operation Iraqi Freedom on the territory of Baghdad. One the PDU-5/B can accommodate a little over 60 000 pieces of leaflets.
Resources
1) Jackowski, M.: First Strike on baghdad street, Intercom, September 2003
2) Friedman, H. And.: PSYOPS Outdoor, Psywarrior Website, May 2004
3) Donato, D.: Turning ideas into innovation - AFIWB on top of technology, Lackland Talespinner, July 29, 2005
4) Battlelab success stories .
