The Americans are preparing to get their enemies out of the ground. Yesterday, October 13, the press service of the US Air Force reported that the GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator bomb passed the first test by air drop.
The tests took place at the Eglin training ground — the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet made the first GBU-72 bomb drop. Previously, the military tested this munition only by undermining the warhead.
Detonation of the warhead of the GBU-72 concrete-piercing bomb
Image source: eglin.af.mil
"The dropping of the 5,000-pound bomb marked the end of the first series of tests. It included flight testing, as well as verification of modified tail guides previously used on 2000-pound class ammunition," the press service of the US Air Force reported.
GBU-72 reset from F-15E fighter
Image source: eglin.af.mil
The GBU-72 bomb will complement the GBU-28, GBU-37 and GBU-57 anti-bunker ammunition in the arsenal of the US Air Force. According to unofficial data, the GBU-72 will replace the GBU-28 in service with fighter aircraft. These bombs were developed in the 90s and are capable of penetrating into the ground to a depth of 30 m or punching up to 6 m of concrete. The practical experience of military operations in Iraq in the early 2000s showed their insufficient penetrating and destructive ability when destroying some specially fortified objects.
F-117 strikes with GBU-28 bunker bomb
Image source: supercoolpics.com
