PLATFORMS
These 450 kg (1,000 pound), GPS guided bombs cost over $700,000 per unit. The USAF uses them from a variety of combat aircraft like F-15/16, A-10, B-1/2/52. India has integrated them with the Jaguar. The number of these bombs that can be carried on each aircraft are shown with the pictures.
An F-15E with a full load of cluster bombs. It usually carries 12 CBU-105s.
A CBU-105 being loaded onto a A-10 Thunderbolt. Upto 10 CBUs can be carried.
The F-16 can carry a maximum load of 4 CBU-105s, although the usual load is 2.
A 4th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon drops a cluster bomb unit-105
A B-1 drops cluster bombs over a test fire range. It can carry 30 in its capacious bomb bays.
IAF Jaguars can carry 4-6 of these bombs
USERS
- The USAF is the largest user of this weapon with over 10,000 weapons in their inventory (their goal was 17,000 and the exact numbers are unknown).
- Saudi Arabia purchased 1300 CBU-105s and employ them on their F-15s.
- India purchased 512 of these weapons and employ them from their Jaguar strike aircraft.
- Other countries like Oman, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates have also ordered the CBU-105.
CONCLUSION
Such highly effective PGMs dominate modern warfare. They cannot be countered easily, but in the future, many countries will devise ways to counter such weapons. It was first used in combat during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was very successful. Currently, any adversary facing this weapon has no defense against it and the only solution would be to shoot down the aircraft before it can release these smart bombs.
The official video of the CBU-105 released by its maker, Textron Systems is given below. It will help you understand further how these weapons work.
