The IMI ammunition group, Israel's leading producers of warheads
for aerial bombs, is unveiling at Paris an improved Mk 84 bomb
designated M-2000. The 1,000-kg weapon is equipped with 400 kg
of explosives and is designed to match all current guidance systems
such as JDAM, Paveway, Spice and Lizard. By using an improved
case and dual-fuse warhead detonation, M-2000 is designed to be
effective at lower impact angles and has demonstrated 70% improved
penetration capability over the standard Mk 84.
IMI's developments in the field of advanced penetration warheads
are demonstrated with the PB-500, which uses the basic design
of the I-800 hard target penetrator developed for the AGM-142
and Have Lite (Popeye) missiles. The PB-500 is offered as an alternative
to 1,000-lb bombs, which impose operational restrictions when
employed with medium-size combat aircraft such as the F-16 and
F/A-18. For example, an F/A-18 can carry six PB-500s, compared
to two BLU-109s, and can return from a mission and land on a carrier
deck still loaded with up to four undelivered bombs. Improved
Deep Penetrator (IDP) warheads are also under development at IMI
to offer better penetration into fortified structures and maximize
lethality inside the target.
IMI plans to widen its range of cluster bombs and submunitions,
to be tailored for various types of bomb cases. Submunitions include
combined-effect munitions, as well as dual-purpose bomblets such
as the M-85 and M-87 AP/AT, which are effective against armored
vehicle and troop concentrations, artillery suppression and destruction
of radar or C4I sites. These bomblets explode upon impact or detonate
after a pre-set delay to eliminate the hazard of unexploded duds
on the ground. IMI offers its proprietary self-destruct fuse mechanism
(SDF) for re-packaging of existing cluster munitions such as CBUs,
artillery rocket systems, mortar and artillery shells. The company
is negotiating with ATK to launch a new production facility for
the SDF in the USA. Runway attack munition (RAM) is a different
type of cluster munition that accommodates up to 34 of IMI's runway
cratering and area denial submunitions.
For precision strike, IMI offers the Delilah and MSOV weapons.
Unlike cruise missiles, which were designed mainly for long range,
Delilah can combine a range of 250 km with loitering over the
target-an essential (and unique) capability for attacking evasive
or concealed high-value targets. The jet-powered, 400-lb missile
can be launched from an aircraft, helicopter or ground launcher
and navigates autonomously along a pre-planned route using a combination
of inertial and GPS data. With its compact dimensions Delilah
can be carried on helicopters such as the Sikorsky UH-60A and
SH-60B. Its small but effective warhead is designed to provide
maximum destruction to the target while minimizing collateral
damage.
A different approach to autonomous attack weapons is represented
by IMI's 2,300-lb, four-meter-long modular standoff weapon (MSOV),
which was designed as a self-navigating, unpowered attack 'bus'.
Carried and launched as a standard weapon, MSOV will navigate
autonomously over a distance of 100 km and attack a target with
high precision. Its modular submunitions bay accommodates up to
1,490 lbs of payload in multiple configurations, including dual-purpose
bomblets, combined-effect munitions, anti-runway penetrators and
unitary warheads such as penetration bombs. Advanced avionics
and communications enable MSOV to be programmed on the ground
or in flight and to receive in-flight target updates. Designed
for operation with F-4, F-15, F-16 and similar combat aircraft,
MSOV is currently in the advanced development stage, with initial
free-flight tests scheduled for late 2003.
