THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF EXPLOSIVES, BOMBS AND IEDs
CONTENTS
PART I
EXPLOSIVES: THE POWER BEHIND EVERYTHING
CHAPTER 1
EXPLOSIVES AND EXPLOSIONS: BASICS YOU MUST KNOW
(1.1) WHAT ARE EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES?
(1.1.1) How Do We Create Explosive Substances?
(1.1.2) What Do We Understand By The Explosion of A Chemical Substance?
(1.1. 3) What Other Factors Help In The Making Of Explosions?
(1.2) DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH EXPLOSIONS CAN TAKE PLACE
(1.2.1) Deflagration
(1.2.1) The Physics Of Detonation
(1.2.2) Deflagration-To-Detonation Transfer (DDT)
CHAPTER 2
LOW BUT NOT LOWLY EXPLOSIVES
(2.1) WHAT ARE LOW EXPLOSIVES?
(2.1.1) The Primary Uses Of Low Explosives
(2.2) THE OLD FAITHFUL BLACK POWDER, A GREAT LOW EXPLOSIVE
(2.2.1) The Invention Of Gunpowder In China
(2.2.2) Gunpowder In Medieval Europe
(2.2.3) Some Historic Military Exploits Of Black Powder In Guns
(2.2.4) Powder Charged Mines That Humbled Many Fortifications
(2.2.5) Some Great Constructive Exploits Of Gunpowder
(2.2.6) Landmarks In The History Of Gunpowder
(2.3) MANUFACTURING GUNPOWDER: THE ELABORATE METHOD
EVOLVED BY THE EUROPEANS
(2.4) FLASH POWDERS
CHAPTER 3
HIGH EXPLOSIVES: PROPERTIES THAT MATTER TO KEEP THEM
ON HIGH
(3.1) HOW WOULD YOU SELECT A HIGH EXPLOSIVE?
(3.2) PARAMETERS USED TO DEFINE THE PROPERTIES OF HIGH
EXPLOSIVES
(3.2.1) Strength Or Power Of Explosives
(3.2.2) Brisance Of Explosives
(3.2.3) Sensitivity Or Insensitivity Of Explosives
(3.2.4) Relative Effectiveness Factor
(3.2.5) Stability
(3.2.6) Density Or Density Of Loading
(3.2.7) Volatility
(3.2.8) Hygroscopicity
(3.2.9) Oxygen Balance
(3.2.10) Whether The Explosive Can Be Melt-Cast Or Not?
(3.2.11) Toxicity
CHAPTER 4
PRIMARY HIGH EXPLOSIVES: THEY KICK OFF EVERYTHING
(4.1) WHAT ARE PRIMARY HIGH EXPLOSIVES AND WHAT IS THEIR
MAIN USE?
4.2) FAMOUS PRIMARY EXPLOSIVES
(4.2.1) Mercury Fulminate: The Grand Daddy Of Them All
(4.2.2) Lead Azide: Now The Prinicpal Primary Explosives
(4.2.3) Lead Styphnate
(4.2.4) Diazodinitrophenol (DDNP)
(4.2.5) Tetrazene
(4.2.6) Lead Mononitroresorcinate (LMNR)
(4.2.7) Potassium Dinitrobenzofuroxane (KDNBF)
(4.2.8) A Comparison Of The Relative Efficiencies Of Some Initiating Compounds
(4.3) VARIOUS TYPES OF PRIMARY COMPOSITIONS
(4.3.1) Percussion Type Priming Compositions
(4.3.2) Stab Detonator Priming Compositions
(4.3.3) Electric Priming Compositions
CHAPTER 5
HIGH EXPLOSIVES: THE ILLUSTRIOUS NITRIC ESTERS
(5.1) ALKYL ESTERS OF NITRIC ACID
(5.2) THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS OF THEM ALL: GLYCEROL TRINITRATE
OR NITROGLYCERIN
(5.2.1) Nitroglycerin: A Great Invention
(5.2.2) Dynamite: A Greater Invention
5.2.3) Various Types Of Dynamites
(5.2.4) Storage Of Dynamites: Problems And Correct Methods
(5.3) NITROCELLULOSE AND GUNCOTTON
(5.4) PETN
(5.5) EGDN
CHAPTER 6
HIGH EXPLOSIVES: THE CELEBRATED NITROAROMATICS
(6.1) NITRO DERIVATIVES OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
(6.2) TNT: THE MOST CELEBRATED HIGH EXPLOSIVE
(6.3) PICRIC ACID OR LYDDITE: THE EXPLOSIVE THAT CAUSED THE
BIGGEST NON-NUCLEAR EXPLOSION IN HISTORY
(6.3.1) The Halifax Explosion Of 1917
(6.4) AMMONIUM PICRATE
(6.5) SOME OTHER NITROAROMATIC EXPLOSIVES
CHAPTER 7
HIGH EXPLOSIVES: THE LEGENDARY NITRAMINES
(7.1) NITRAMINES
(7.2) RDX: MORE THAN A LEGEND IN ITSELF
(7.3) HMX: AN EXPLOSIVE THAT BEATS THE RDX
(7.4) TETRYL
(7.5) HNIW OR CL-20: ONE THAT BEATS EVEN HMX AND PERHAPS THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT EXPLOSIVE DISCOVERED IN THE PAST 50 YEARS!
CHAPTER 8
COMPOSITE EXPLOSIVES TAKE THE BEST OF MANY THINGS AND
MAKE THE VERY BEST
(8.1) WHY DO WE NEED COMPOSITE EXPLOSIVES?
(8.2) BINARY COMPOSITIONS
(8.2.1) Amatols
(8.2.2) Tritonal
(8.2.3) Tetrytols
(8.2.4) Pentolites
(8.2.5) Picratol
(8.2.6) Cyclotol
(8.2.7) Octols
(8.3) TERNARY MIXTURES
(8.3.1) Amatex 20
(8.3.2) Ammonal: The Explosive That Had Charged The Biggest Military Mines In
History
(8.3.3) Torpex
(8.3.4) HBXs (High Blast Explosives): The Result Of The Port Chicago Naval
Magazine Explosion
(8.3.5) Minol
(8.3.6) HMX, TNT And Aluminum Mixture-3 (HTA-3).
(8.4) OTHER FAMOUS EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITIONS
(8.4.1) Composition A Explosives
(8.4.2) Composition B Explosives
(8.4.3) Baratol
(8.5) QUATERNARY MIXTURES
(8.6) PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES OR PLASTIQUE: VERSATILITY UNLIMITED
(8.6.1) Composition C or C-1
(8.6.2) Composition C-2
(8.6.3) Composition C-3
(8.6.4) The Celebrated Plastic Explosive Composition C-4
(8.6.5) Semtex: The Scourge Of The West
(8.6.6) Composition CH6
(8.6.7) Detasheet
(8.7) POLYMER BONDED EXPLOSIVES (PBX) HOLD THE KEY TO
FUTURE
(8.7.1) What Are PBX And What Are Their Intrinsic Advantages?
(8.7.2) Pressed, Extruded, Cast, And Injection-Molded PBXs
(8.7.3) Some Great PBXs And Their Compositions
(8.7.4) Manufacturing PBXs
(8.7.5) Energetic Polymers
(8.7.6) Energetic Plasticizers
CHAPTER 9
INSENSITIVE HIGH EXPLOSIVES AND SOME NOVEL EXPLOSIVES
(9.1) INSENSITIVE HIGH EXPLOSIVES AND INSENSITIVE MUNITIONS:
WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY WE NEED THEM?
(9.2) THE PAX FAMILY (PICATINNY ARSENAL EXPLOSIVE
FORMULATIONS)
(9.3) INSENSITIVE PBXs
(9.3.1) PBXW-122, PBXW-124 And PBXN-110
(9.3.2) PBXIH-135
(9.3.3) PBXN-109
(9.4) OTHER GREAT INSENSITIVE HIGH EXPLOSIVES
(9.4.1) AFX-757
(9.4.2) DNI (Dinitroimidazoles)
(9.4.3) MNX-194
(9.4.4) Reduced Sensitivity RDX (RS-RDX)
(9.4.5) HNS
(9.4.6) TATB: Presently The Mainstay Of Explosive Lenses Of Nuclear weapons
(9.4.7) DATB
(9.4.8) HNAB
(9.4.9) TNAZ
(9.5) LLM-105 AND LLM-121: TWO EXTREMELY NOVEL EXPLOSIVES
(9.6) POLYNITROCUBANES: SUPER EXPLOSIVES OF THE FUTURE?
CHAPTER 10
AMMONIUM NITRATE BASED EXPLOSIVES CAPTURE THE WORLD
OF NON-MILITARY EXPLOSIVES
(10.1) THE RECOGNITION OF AMMONIUM NITRATE AS AN ALLY OF
EXPLOSIVES: THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AT TEXAS CITY
(10.1.1) How Dynamites Ran Into Trouble In The Mining Industry
(10.1.2) Ammonium Nitrate Makes Deep Inroads Into The Mining Industry
(10.1.3) What Is ANFO And How To Make The Best Of It?
(10.1.4) Emulsion Explosives
(10.2) HOW THE BOMB USED IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING WAS
MADE?
(10.3) A GREAT INVENTION CALLED SLURRIES OR WATER GELS
(10.4) GELLED SLURRY EXPLOSIVES (GSX) GO A STEP FURTHER
(10.5) BOOSTER EXPLOSIVES IN MINING INDUSTRY
(10.6) OXYLIQUITS
CHAPTER 11
THE DECEPTIVE BEAUTY OF BINARY EXPLOSIVES
(11.1) WHAT ARE BINARY EXPLOSIVES AND WHAT MAKES THEM SO
BEAUTIFUL?
(11.2) SOME GREAT BINARY EXPLOSIVES
(11.2.1) The Magic Called Kinepak
(11.2.2) Binex
(11.2.3) The Brilliant Invention Called FIXOR: An Explosive That SelfNeutralizes After Some Time
(11.2.4) HELIX
(11.2.5) Other Binary Explosives
CHAPTER 12
LIQUID AND FOAM EXPLOSIVES: AMAZING, ISN’T IT?
(12.1) EVER EXPECTED EXPLOSIVES TO BE IN LIQUID OR FOAM FORM?
(12.2) LIQUID EXPLOSIVES BASED ON NITROMETHANE
(12.2.1) The Mysterious Explosive Called Astrolite
(12.3) MULTI-COMPONENT LIQUID EXPLOSIVES: VERY CLEVER
DEVICES
(12.3.1) Liquid Explosive Pouch
(12.4) FOAM EXPLOSIVES
(12.4.1) Lexfoam
(12.4.2) NMX-foam
CHAPTER 13
MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXPLOSIVES
(13.1) INDELIBLE FOOTPRINTS MADE IN THE ROARING 19TH CENTURY
(13.2) THE FURIOUS 20TH CENTURY KICKS OFF WITH GIANT STRIDES
MADE IN THE PURSUIT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
(13.3) WITH THE SECOND WORLD WAR LOOMING LARGE,
DEVELOPMENTS CONTINUE AT A FEVERISH PITCH
(13.4) THINGS NOVEL AND EXOTIC RESULT FROM POST-WORLD WAR
II RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 14
PROPELLANTS: TO SHOVE HARD BUT NOT TO SHATTER
(14.1) THE DESIRE TO MAKE A SMOKELESS POWDER
(14.2) SINGLE-BASE PROPELLANTS
(14.2.1) Manufacturing Single-Base Propellants
(14.3) DOUBLE-BASE PROPELLANTS
(14.3.1) Manufacturing Double-Base Propellants
(14.4) TRIPLE-BASE PROPELLANTS
(14.4.1) What Is Nitroguanidine?
(14.4.2) Manufacturing Triple-Base Propellants
(14.4.3) Going Beyond Nitroguanidine
(14.5) HOW DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPELLANTS ARE USED FOR
DIFFERENT JOBS
(14.6) THE EFFECT OF PROPELLANT GRAIN GEOMETRY ON
PROPELLANT PERFORMANCE
(14.7) THE QUEST OF SUITABLE ROCKET PROPELLANTS IN THE EARLY
YEARS
(14.8) COMPOSITE PROPELLANTS FOR ROCKETS
(14.8.1) Manufacturing Composite Propellants
(14.9) THE PROBLEM OF PRESERVING PROPELLANTS
(14.10) STABILIZATION OF PROPELLANTS
(14.11) BURNING ACCELERATORS OR REGULATORS
(14.12) MUZZLE-FLASH REGULATORS
(14.13) SOME NOVEL PROPELLANTS
(14.14) BI-MODULAR CHARGE SYSTEM
CHAPTER 15
INITIATING DEVICES: SAFETY FUSE, DETONATORS AND
DETONATING CORD
(15.1) SAFETY FUSE: BURN SLOW, BURN STEADY
(15.2) DETONATORS ARE FOREVER
(15.2.1) Non-Electrical Detonators
(15.2.2) Electrical Detonators
(15.2.3) Non-Primary Explosive Detonators (NPEDs)
(15.2.4) Plastic Detonators
(15.2.5) Electronic Detonators
(15.3) DETONATING CORD: WHAT CLEVER GENIUS!
(15.4) THE ART OF USING ELECTRICAL DETONATORS
(15.4.1) The Importance Of The Strength Of The Detonator
(15.4.2) Detonators: Identification And Accessories
(15.4.3) Correct Placement Of The Detonator
(15.4.4) Ensuring Correct Current Supply
(15.4.5) RF Hazards With Electrical Detonators
(15.4.6) Blasting Machines
(15.5) SHOCK TUBES OVERCOME MANY SHORTCOMINGS OF ELECTRIC
DETONATORS AND DETONATING CORDS
(15.5.1) DigiDet
(15.6) MODERN DEMOLITION INITIATOR (MDI)
CHAPTER 16
HOW EXPLOSIONS DO WHAT THEY DO: THE MECHANICS OF
DAMAGE BY EXPLOSIONS
(16.1) THE GENERATION OF A SHOCK WAVE
(16.1.1) The Effects Of The Shock Wave
(16.1.2) The Effect Of Mach Reflections
(16.1.3) The Effect Of Confinement Or Channeling Of Blast Wave
(16.2) THE EFFECT OF FRAGMENTATION
(16.3) THE EFFECT OF EXPLOSIONS ON BUILDINGS
(16.3.1) Direct Air-Blast Effects
(16.3.2) Illustration Of The Extent Of Damage On Buildings In Relation To
The Amount Of Explosive Used And Its Distance From The Target Building
(16.3.3) Estimation Of Human Casualties
(16.4) DESIGNING BUILDINGS TO RESIST EXPLOSIONS
(16.4.1) Façade Protection
(16.4.2) Curtain Wall Protection
(16.4.3) Energy-Absorbing Catch Systems
(16.4.4) Floor Slab Reinforcements
(16.4.5) Column Reinforcements
(16.4.6) Preventing Progressive Collapse
(16.4.7) Overall Lateral Resistance
(16.4.8) Using Alternative Construction Materials to Resist Explosive Threats
(16.4.9) Seismic Protection Vs. Blast Protection
(16.5) THE EFFECT OF UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
(16.6) THE EFFECT OF UNDERWATER EXPLOSIONS
CHAPTER 17
OH, THE SO FASCINATING JOB OF DEMOLITIONS!
(17.1) WHAT MAKES CONTROLLED DEMOLITION A SCIENCE?
(17.2) THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DEMOLITION
(17.2.1) Destructive Effects Of Explosions On Solid Objects In Immediate Vicinity
(17.2.3) The Significance of Charge Dimensions
(17.2.4) The Significance of Charge Placement.
(17.2.5) The Significance Of The Direction Of Initiation
(17.2.6) The Destructive Power Of Demolition Charges: Some Quantitative
Examples
(17.2.7) Explosives Suited For Demolitions
(17.2.8) Shaped Demolition Charges
(17.3) THE BASICS OF THE BUSINESS OF DEMOLITIONS
(17.3.1) Connecting Several Charges For Demolition
(17.3.2) Techniques Of Proper Priming Of Demolition Charges
(17.3.3) Various Types Of Firing Circuits
(17.4) CALCULATING THE RIGHT QUANTITY OF CHARGE FOR A
PARTICULAR JOB
(17.4.1) Factors Which Determine The Amount Of Charge Required
(17.4.2) Charge Selection And Calculation.
(17.5) CONVENTIONAL CUTTING CHARGES: A CASE STUDY OF THE
DEMOLITION OF STEEL STRUCTURES
(17.5.1) Critical Factors In Demolition Of Steel Structures
(17.5.2) Amount Of Explosives Required For Cutting I-Beams, Built-Up Girders,
Steel Plates, Columns, Steel Bars, Rods, Chains, Or Cables, And Railroad Rails
(17.6) SPECIAL CUTTING CHARGES: A CASE STUDY OF THE
DEMOLITION OF STEEL STRUCTURES
(17.6.1) Ribbon Charge
(17.6.2) Saddle Charge
(17.6.3) Diamond Charge
(17.7) BREACHING CHARGES: A CASE STUDY OF THE DEMOLITION OF
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
(17.7.1) Critical Factors In Demolition Of Concrete, Masonry, Rock Or Similar
Structures
(17.7.2) Amount Of Explosives Required For Breaching Concrete Structures
(17.7.3) Placement And Configuration Of Breaching Charges
(17.8) ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF SOME DEMOLITION CHARGES IN
REAL LIFE SITUATIONS
(17.9) USE OF COUNTERFORCE CHARGES AGAINST CONCRETE
COLUMNS
(17.10) CRATERING AND DITCHING CHARGES
(17.10.1) Safe Distances To Be Observed While Demolishing Structures
(17.11) DEMOLITION OF BRIDGES
(17.11.1) Different Categories Of Bridges
(17.11.2) Stages Of Destruction
(17.11.3) Basic Methods Of Attacking Bridges
(17.11.4) The Importance Of Concrete-Stripping
(17.11.5) Attacking Intermediate Supports And Abutments
(17.12) ATTACKING SIMPLY SUPPORTED BRIDGES
(17.13) ATTACKING CONTINUOUS BRIDGES
(17.14) ATTACKING MISCELLANEOUS BRIDGES
(17.14.1) Suspension-Span Bridges
(17.14.2) Movable Bridges
(17.14.3) Floating Or Pontoon Bridges
(17.14.4) Bailey Bridges
(17.15) A REAL LIFE CASE STUDY OF DEMOLISHING A BRIDGE
(17.16) CONTROLLED DEMOLITIONS AT THEIR VERY BEST: THE
MESMERIZING SPECTACLE OF BUILDING IMPLOSIONS
(17.16.1) Why And When Do We Need The Implosions Of Buildings?
(17.16.2) The Fundamental Principles Of The Technology Of Building Implosions
(17.16.3) The Principles Applied: How To Implode A 20-Storey Building?
CHAPTER 18
HOW TO USE EXPLOSIVES FOR BREACHING IN TACTICAL
SITUATIONS LIKE URBAN FIGHTING AND HOSTAGE RESCUE
(18.1) WHEN DOES EXPLOSIVE BREACHING BECOME NECESSARY?
(18.2) CONSTRUCTING FRAME CHARGES FOR ALL TYPES OF DOORS,
WINDOWS AND A VARIETY OF WALLS
(18.2.1) Detasheet Frame Charge
(18.2.2) Detonating Cord Frame Charge
(18.2.3) Tape Charges
(18.2.4) Priming Charges
(18.3) INTERIOR DOOR CHARGE
(18.3.1) Detasheet Strip Charge Construction
(18.3.2) Det Cord Strip Charge Construction
(18.4) ATTACKING METAL DOORS
(18.4.1) Water Charge Construction
(18.5) WINDOW CHARGES
(18.5.1) Window Charge Construction
(18.5.2) How To Use The Window Charge
(18.6) USE OF BALLISTIC SHIELDS AND BLANKETS
CHAPTER 19
THE ESOTERIC WORLD OF SHAPED CHARGES, EXPLOSIVE LENSES
USED IN NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVELY FORMED
PROJECTILES
(19.1) THE SHAPED CHARGE EFFECT
(19.1.1) How The Shaped Charge Effect Was Discovered?
(19.1.2) How Mohaupt Made A Weapon Out Of It
(19.2) HOW MODERN SHAPED CHARGE WARHEADS WORK?
(19.2.1) The Physics Of Shaped Charges
(19.2.2) Factors On Which The Penetration Made By A Shaped Charge Depends
(19.2.3) How To Maximize The Penetration?
(19.2.4) Linear Shaped Charge
(19.3) IN THE HEART OF EVEN NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE EXPLOSIVE
LENSES
(19.3.1) See How A Genius Invents Explosive Lenses
(19.3.2) And Uses That To Make The Nuclear Bomb!
(19.4) HIGH EXPLOSIVES USED IN THE EXPLOSIVE LENSES OF
ADVANCED NUCLEAR WEAPONS
(19.5) EXPLOSIVELY FORMED PROJECTILES / PENETRATORS (EFP)
(19.5.1) How Do You Make The EFP And What Are Its Specialties?
(19.5.2) Recent Advances In EFP Weapons
PART II
BOMBS: TO BREAK THE BACK OF NATIONS
CHAPTER 20
BOMBS IN A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
(20.1) THE IMPORTANCE OF BOMBS IN WAR
(20.2) BOMBS AND BOMBINGS IN THE TWO WORLD WARS
(20.3) THE GREATEST NON-NUCLEAR BOMBS OF THE SECOND WORLD
WAR
(20.3.1) The Dam Busters
(20.3.2) The Tallboy
(20.3.3) The Grand Slam
(20.4) THE NOTORIOUS FIRE-BOMBINGS OF JAPAN BY M-69
INCENDIARY BOMBS
CHAPTER 21
THE TECHNOLOGY OF BOMBS: AN OVERVIEW
(21.1) EXPLOSIVES USED IN THE BOMBS OF WORLD WAR II: THE
JOURNEY FROM TNT TO COMPOSITION B TO TRITONAL
(21.2) MODERN DUMB BOMBS
(21.2.1) Types Of Dumb Bombs
(21.3) THE COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONING OF MODERN BOMBS
(21.3.1) Bomb Bodies
(21.2.2) Fuzes
(21.3.3) Various Types Of Fuzes
(21.3.4) Safing And Arming (S&A) Of Fuzes
(21.3.5) Bomb Stabilizing Devices
(21.4) HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE DAMAGE BY A BOMB?
CHAPTER 22
SOME OF THE GREAT BOMBS IN SERVICE TODAY
(22.1) THE MK-80 SERIES DUMB BOMBS
(22.2) THE DAISY CUTTER: THE BIGGEST CONVENTIONAL BOMB USED
SINCE THE WWII
(22.3) THE MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS (MOAB)
(22.4) THE DURANDAL ANTI-RUNWAY BOMB
CHAPTER 23
DIG DEEP AND HIT HARD: THE BUNKER BUSTERS
(23.1) COME CONCRETE OR SOLID EARTH, IT WOULD GO ALL THE
WAY IN!
(23.1.1) Why Do You Need Penetrating Bombs?
(23.1.2) How To Make Bunker Busters And How They Work?
(23.2) BLU-113, BLU-109 AND BLU-116 GUIDED PENETRATION BOMBS
(23.3) NUCLEAR BUNKER BUSTERS: WHY THEY DO NOT MAKE SENSE!
(23.3.1) What Makes Some Americans Obsessed With Nuclear Bunker Busters?
(23.3.2) Currently What Are The Options For Nuclear Bunker Busters?
(23.3.3) Why A Nuclear Bunker Buster Won’t Work The Intended Way?
CHAPTER 24
CLUSTER BOMBS: BOMBS THAT BREED BOMBLETS
(24.1) THE RATIONALE OF DEVELOPING CLUSTER BOMBS
(24.2) DISPENSERS FOR CLUSTER BOMBS
(24.3) VARIOUS TYPES OF SUB-MUNITIONS FOR CLUSTER BOMBS
(24.4) SOME FAMOUS CLUSTER BOMBS
(24.4.1) CBU-52 and CBU-58
(24.4.2) Runway-Cratering Bombs CBU-51/A And JP-233 ETC.
(24.4.3) Smart Cluster Bomb For Armor: The CBU-97
(24.4.4) Power Disruption Bombs
(24.5) THE PROBLEM OF UNEXPLODED BOMBLETS
CHAPTER 25
THE MUCH-MALIGNED NAPALM, ITS COUSINS AND FUEL-AIR
EXPLOSIVES
(25.1) THE USE OF FIRE AS A TOOL OF WAR IN THE ANCIENT PERIOD
AND THEREAFTER
(25.2) THE INVENTION OF THE NAPALM THICKENER
(25.3) THE FURY THAT THE NAPALM HAD UNLEASHED IN VIETNAM
AND ELSEWHERE
(25.4) HOW THEY MADE AERIAL BOMBS OUT OF A GELLED FUEL LIKE
NAPALM?
(25.5) THE MK-77 BOMB: A DEADLIER COUSIN OF THE NAPALM BUT
STILL UN-MALIGNED BECAUSE IT IS NEW
(25.6) THE INCENDIARIES
(25.6.1) Thermite Incendiaries
(25.6.2) Pyrogels
(25.6.3) Pyrophoric agents
(25.6.4) New Incendiary Agents
(25.7) FUEL-AIR EXPLOSIVES (FAE)
(25.7.1) What Are Fuel-Air Explosives And How They Work?
(25.7.2) Weaponizing The FAE systems: How It is Done?
(25.7.3) Performance Of FAE Systems
(25.7.4) Initiation Sytems For FAEs
(25.7.5) Currently Deployed FAE Systems
(25.7.6) CBU-72 Fuel-Air Explosive (FAE) Cluster Bomb
(25.8) ENHANCED BLAST AND THERMOBARIC MUNITIONS
(25.8.1) Enhanced Blast Munitions (EBM)
(25.8.2) Thermobaric Munitions
(25.8.3) The Russian Father Of All Bombs (FOAB)
(25.8.4) Solid FAEs
CHAPTER 26
BOMBS TAKE A TECHNOLOGICAL LEAP AND BECOME SMART
(26.1) THEY HIT WHERE IT REALLY HURTS
(26.1.1) What Are Smart Bombs Or Precision-Guided Munitions And Why Do We
Need Them?
(26.1.2) How A Smart Bomb Works?
(26.2) ELECTRO-OPTIC OR TELEVISION-GUIDED BOMBS
(26.2.1) The AGM-62 Walleye
(26.2.2) The HOBOS
(26.2.3) Pinnacle Of Electro-Optic Guidance Technology: The GBU-15
(26.3) LASER-GUIDED BOMBS (LGB)
(26.3.1) The Operating Principle Of Laser Guidance
(26.3.2) The Principle Translated Into Practice
(26.3.3) Limitations Of Laser-Guided Bombs
(26.3.4) The Paveway III (GBU-24) And Its Predecessors
(26.4) GPS-GUIDED AND INERTIAL GUIDANCE BOMBS
(26.4.1) The JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)
(26.4.2) The AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Stand Off Weapon)
(26.4.3) Famous Glide Bombs Of Other Nations
(26.4.4) The Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD)
(26.4.5) The SDB (Small Diameter Bomb)
(26.5) Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME)
(26.6) SENSOR-FUZED WEAPONS: SMART SUB-MUNITIONS
(26.7) THE LOCAAS: A REALLY SMART SUB-MUNITION
(26.7.1) The Air Dominator
(26.8) THE ‘BRILLIANT ANTI-ARMOR MUNITION’
(26.8.1) The Viper
CHAPTER 27
LITTLE BOMBS FOR BIG GUYS: GRENADES
(27.1) HAND GRENADES
(27.1.1) Hand Grenades Reclaim Their Place In Warfare
(27.1.2) Defensive And Offensive Grenades
(27.1.3) Fragmentation Grenades
(27.1.4) Stun Grenades
(27.1.5) Incendiary Grenades
(27.2) BASIC MECHANISM OF HAND GRENADES
(27.3) RIFLES GRENADES AND GRENADES OF AUTOMATIC GRENADE
LAUNCHERS (AGLs)
(27.3.1) The Technology Of The Fuzes Used In Rifle Grenades And AGLs
(27.3.2) Russian Case-Less And Bouncing Grenades
CHAPTER 28
SPRINGING NASTY SURPRISES: LANDMINES
(28.1) THICK DEFENSIVE WALLS PROMPT EARLY MILITARY MINING
(28.1.1) Powder-Primed Tunnel Mines Take On Massive Fortifications
(28.1.2) Mines Gradually Drift Towards Attacking Personnel Too
(28.1.3) Tunnel Mines In The Modern Era
(28.1.4) Countermines
(28.2) LANDMINES, AS WE KNOW THEM TODAY, MAKE THEIR
APPEARANCE
(28.2.1) Early, Medieval And Modern Attempts At Using Charges Against
Soldiers
(28.2.2) Modern Anti-Personnel Landmines Are Invented And Leave An Indelible
Imprint On Warfare
(28.2.3) Invention Of Anti-Tank Mines
(28.3) MORE THAN 110 MILLION OF THEM AROUND THE WORLD: YOU
MUST TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
(28.4) ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES: ODDS AGAINST THE UNLUCKY MAN!
(28.4.1) Variety Galore
(28.4.2) Blast Type AP Mines
(28.4.3) Fragmentation Type AP Mines
(28.4.3) Bounding Type AP Mines
(28.4.4) Directional AP Mines
(28.4.5) Fuel-Air Explosive Mines
(28.4.6) Chemical Mines
(28.4.7) Flame Mines
(28.5) THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUSES OF AP MINES
(28.5.1) Various Types Of Fuzes
(28.5.2) Anti-Lift Fuzes Or Anti-Handling Devices
(28.6) SOME FAMOUS AP MINES
(28.6.1) The M14 Blast Mine
(28.6.2) The M16 Bounding Mine
(28.6.3) Area Denial Anti-Personnel Mines (ADAM)
(28.6.4) Delpoyment of AP mines
(28.7) THE CLAYMORE MINE
(28.7.1) Discovery Of The Misznay-Schardin Effect
(28.7.2) Invention Of The Claymore Mine
(28.7.3) The M18 Claymore Mine
(28.8) ANTI-TANK MINES HUMBLE THE MIGHTY TANKS
(28.8.1) The First Anti-Vehicle Mines
(28.8.2) Proper Anti-Tank Mines Appear On Battlefields To Take The Punch Out
Of Tanks
(28.8.3) Classification Of Anti-Tank Mines By The Effect They Produce
(28.8.2) Basic Design Types Of Anti-Tank Mines
(28.8.3) Various Types Of Anti-Tank Fuzes
(28.8.4) Deployment Of AT Mines
(28.9) SOME GREAT ANTI-TANK MINES
(28.9.1) The M15 Mine
(28.9.2) The M19 Plastic Mine
(28.9.3) The M21 Mine
(28.9.4) The M2 Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition (SLAM)
(28.10) FAMILY OF SCATTERABLE MINES (FASCAM)
(28.11) RAAM (REMOTE ANTI-ARMOR MUNITION)
(28.12) THE MOPMS (MODULAR PACK MINE SYSTEM)
(28.13) FAMILY OF WIDE AREA MUNITIONS (WAM)
(28.14) BREACHING AND CLEARING MINEFIELDS
(28.14.1) Minefield Breaching Devices
(28.14.2) The Bangalore Torpedo
(28.14.3) Mine Neutralization Using Lexfoam And HD Flares
(28.14.4) Mechanical Clearance Of Mines
(28.14.5) Supersonic Air Spade
(28.14.6) Novel Technologies For Mine Detection
(28.15) HOW TO MAKE MINE-CLEARING EVEN MORE DIFFICULT
(28.16) THE SO-CALLED MINES BEING USED BY LEFT-WING AND
OTHER EXTREMISTS IN INDIA
(28.16.1) How The Myth Of The Claymore Mine Got Propagated?
PART III
IEDs: INGENUITY UNLIMITED
CHAPTER 29
MAKE IT, SET IT, FORGET IT: THE FASCINATING WORLD OF TIME
DELAY AND BOOBY TRAP TYPE IEDs
(29.1) WHAT ARE IEDs AND WHO USES THEM?
(29.1.1) A Revelation For All: The Americans Themselves Have Been Using IEDs
For Their Covert Operations
(29.2) BASIC COMPONENTS OF AN IED
(29.3) IEDS USING NON-ELECTRICAL DETONATORS IN FIRING DEVICES
(29.3.1) Pyrotechnical Firing Devices
(29.3.2) Chemical (Straight) Firing Devices
(29.3.3) Chemical (Mechanical) Firing Devices
(29.3.4) Purely Mechanical Firing Devices
(29.4) THE EXTREME VERSATILITY OF IEDs BASED ON ELECTRICAL
DETONATORS
(29.4.1) Mechanical (Electrical) Firing Devices
(29.4.2) The Confounding Genius Of Collapsing Circuits
(29.4.3) The Utterly Frustrating Anti-Disturbance Switches
(29.4.4) Light Sensitive Switches
(29.4.5) Infra-Red Sensitive Switches
(29.4.6) Sound Actuated Switches
(29.4.7) Electrical Firing Devices With Mechanical Delay
(29.5) ELECTRONIC DELAY CIRCUITS RULE THE ROOST
(29.5.1) The Basic Principle Of IEDs Based On Electronic Delays
(29.5.2) Examples Of Basic Electronic Timer Circuits
(29.5.3) Electronic Delay Circuits Based On The IC 555
(29.5.4) Electronic Delay Circuits Based On The MC 14536B
(29.5.5) Powering The Detonators Of Electrical IEDs
(29.6) SOME HISTORICALLY FAMOUS TIME BOMBS
(29.6.1) The Americans Have Done It Too
(29.6.2) Stauffenberg’s Attempt On Hitler’s Life
(29.6.3) Harvey’s Casino Wheel Bomb: A Masterpiece Created By Criminals
CHAPTER 30
BOOM AT THE PRESS OF A BUTTON: ALL ABOUT COMMANDACTUATED IEDs
(30.1) WHY DOES ONE NEED COMMAND ACTUATED DEVICES?
(30.2) COMMAND WIRE IEDs
(30.3) WIRELESS OR REMOTE CONTROL IEDs
(30.3.1) The Basic Principle Of Remote Control Devices
(30.3.2) Mobile Phone / Cordless Phone / Pager Actuated IEDs
(30.3.3) IEDs Based On Walkie-Talkies Or Improvised Radio Systems
(30.3.4) RCIEDs Triggered By DTMF Codes From Regular VHF Sets
(30.3.5) Infrared Rays Actuated Devices
(30.3.6) Laser Actuated Devices
(30.3.6) Sound Actuated Devices
CHAPTER 31
DESIGNS OF THE TIME DELAY AND REMOTE CONTROL IEDs
FOUND IN RECENT USE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
(31.1) WHY WE MUST LEARN ABOUT THE IEDs BEING USED IN THE
MIDDLE EAST?
(31.2) AN ANALYSIS OF THE FIRING DEVICES OR TRIGGERS USED IN
THE IEDs
(31.2.1) Qunxing RC Toy Transmitter And Receiver
(31.2.2) Qusan Remote Doorbell Transmitter And Receiver
(31.2.3) Red Scorpio & Falcon Car Alarm Pager
(31.2.4) Cora Keyless Entry System
(31.2.5) Digital Watch Timer
(31.2.6) Digital Watch Timer With Opto-Isolator
(31.2.7) NT-R12A/SB1000 Wireless Remote Control Based On RX-3400 IC
(31.2.8) Long Range Cordless Phone Handset
(31.2.9) Interrupted IR Trigger
(31.2.10) Receiver with Ten Addressable Outputs
(31.2.11) Radiation Trigger As An Anti-Disturbance Switch
(31.2.12) Light / Break-wire Trigger With Safe-Arm Delay
(31.2.13) VHF Transceiver Using DTMF
(31.2.14) MC 14536 Based Programmable Timer
(31.2.15) ‘Mushroom Timer’ For Shaped Charges
(31.2.16) Programmable Q&Q Timer
(31.2.17) 1-3-5-7 Hour Timer Using PIC Microprocessor
(31.2.18) Mechanical (Washing Machine) Timer
CHAPTER 32
THE LAST RESORT: SUICIDE BOMBS OR VICTIM OPERATED IEDs
(32.1) SUICIDE OR ‘FIDAYEEN’ ATTACKS: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
AND DEFINITIONAL ASPECTS
(32.1.1) Who Resorts To Suicidal Attacks?
(32.1.2) Who Are The Fidayeen?
(31.1.3) The Socio-Cultural Roots Of Suicidal Attacks
(32.2) HOW SUICIDE TERRORISM HELPS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS?
(32.3) THE TECHNOLOGY OF SUICIDE BOMBS OR VICTIM OPERATED
IEDs
(32.3.1) Explosive Belts Or Jackets
(32.3.2) The Bomb That Killed Rajiv Gandhi
(32.4) THE LTTE AND THE CULT OF SUICIDE BOMBING
(32.5) DEALING WITH A SUICIDE BOMBER
(32.5.1) What Devious Ways The Suicide Bomber Can Devise?
(32.5.2) Safe Distances To Be Observed
(32.5.2) Systemic Measures To Deal With Suicide Terrorism
CHAPTER 33
CAR BOMBS: THE TERRORIST’S MOST DEVASTATING WEAPON
(33.1) CAR BOMBS OR VBIEDs (VEHICLE BORNE IEDs)
(33.1.1) History’s First Car Bomb Was Made By An American!
(33.1.2) And Then Others Took Over To Create The Poor Man’s Air Force!
(33.1.3) The Technology Of Car Bombs
(33.2) WHAT MAKES THE CAR BOMB SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION?
(33.3) DEFENSE AGAINST CAR BOMBS
(33.4) BOOBY TRAPPED CAR BOMBS: NO LIMITS TO INGENUITY
(33.4.1) Elimination Of Wiring
(33.4.2) Bypassing The Ignition Coil And Using Other Sources
(33.4.3) Discouraging Police Investigation Of A Suspect Car
(33.5) DEALING WITH LPG TANKER FIRES
CHAPTER 34
GETTING INTO THE WAR MODE: TERRORISTS’ USE OF IEDs
CAPABLE OF BEING USED IN A MILITARY CONTEXT
(34.1) IEDs MADE WITH A MILITARY PURPOSE IN MIND
(34.2) IMPROVISED CLAYMORE MINE
(34.3) IEDs MADE BY CANNIBALIZING ARTILLERY SHELLS AND OTHER
MILITARY WARHEADS
(34.3.1) Anti-Tank And Anti-Personnel IEDs
(34.4) IEDs USING EXPLOSIVELY FORMED PENETRATORS (EFP)
(34.5) IMPROVISED PLATTER CHARGE
(34.6) IMPROVISED BARBED WIRE ANTI-PERSONNEL DEVICE
(34.7) IMPROVISED FLAME THROWER OR EXPEDIENT FLAME
FOUGASSE
34.8) IMPROVISED CHARGES SUITABLE FOR DEMOLITIONS
(34.8.1) Improvised Shaped Charge
(34.8.2) Improvised Dust Bomb
(34.8.3) Improvised Plastic Explosives
(34.9) IMPROVISED FIREBOMBS AND INCENDIARIES
CHAPTER 35
BUSTING THE MYTH OF THE MYSTERIOUS LIQUID EXPLOSIVES
CALLED TATP AND HMTD
(35.1) THE VICIOUS AND MISLEADING PROPAGANDA OF THE
WESTERN MEDIA
(35.2) THE TRUTH ABOUT TATP: WHAT IS IT, WHAT IT CAN DO?
(35.2.1) How The Western Media And Security Agencies Latched On To TATP?
(35.2.2) Why An Improvised Preparation Of TATP Is An Impractical Proposition?
(35.2.3) Why Even Pure And Laboratory-Prepared TATP Cannot Be Used To
Blow Up An Aircraft?
(35.2.4) TATP Is Not Undetectable Either
(35.3) WHAT IS HMTD AND IS IT ANY BETTER?
CHAPTER 36
EXPLOSIVES AND IEDs MADE BY AMATEURS
(36.1) IMPROVISED LOW EXPLOSIVES USED BY AMATEUR BOMBERS
(36.1.1) Chlorate Mixtures
(36.1.2) Flash Powders
(36.1.3) Bangor (Firecracker Powder)
(36.1.4) Permanganate Powder
(36.1.5) Ammonpulver
(36.1.6) Ammonium Nitrate And Aluminum Powder
(36.1.7) Ammonium Nitrate Gel Explosive
(36.1.8) Arsenic Sulfide And Potassium Chlorate Mixture
(36.2) SOMEWHAT BETTER EXPLOSIVES USED BY A TAD BETTER
BOMBERS
(36.2.1) CO-OP Sugar Or Rack-a-Rock Explosives
(36.3) THE PIPE BOMB
(36.4) IEDs BASED ON LPG CYLINDERS: WHY THEY FAIL TO WORK?
(36.4.1) Would LPG / Gasoline Tankers Explode If They Are Shot Through
APPENDIX A
JAMMERS
(A.1) WHAT ARE JAMMERS?
(A.2) WHY JAMMERS ARE OF INTEREST TO SECURITY PLANNERS?
(A.3) HOW JAMMERS WORK AND WHAT ARE THEIR LIMITATIONS?
(A.4) BASIC TECHNIQUES OF JAMMING
(A.4.1) Barrage Jamming
(A.4.2) Sweep Jamming
(A.4.3) Spot Jamming
(A.4.4) Factors On Which The Effectiveness Of Jamming Depends
(A.5) BASIC COMPONENTS OF A JAMMER
(A.6) BEYOND THE JAMMERS AND INTO THE REALM OF ALMOST
SCIENCE FICTION TO COMBAT IEDs
APPENDIX B
DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES
(B.1) A REVIEW OF EXPLOSIVE DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES
(B.2) THE BASIC CONCEPTS USED IN TRACE DETECTION
(B.2.1) Vapor Pressures of Explosives
(B.2.2) Particulate Contamination
(B.3) TRACE DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES
(B.3.1) Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS)
(B.3.2) Chemiluminescence (CL)
(B.3.3) Electron Capture Detectors (ECD)
(B.3.4) Surface Acoustic Wave Sensors (SAW)
(B.3.5) Thermo-Redox Detectors (TR)
(B.3.6) Field Ion Spectrometry (FIS)
(B.3.7) Mass Spectrometry (MS)
(B.3.8) EXPRAY Field Test Kit
(B.4) BULK DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES BASED ON X-RAYS
(B.4.1) Fluoroscopic Imaging (FI)
(B.4.2) Standard Transmission X-Ray (ST)
(B.4.3) Backscatter Imaging (BI)
(B.4.4) Dual-Energy Systems (DE)
(B.4.5) Computed Tomography (CT)
(B.5) CANINE DETECTION
(B.6) NOVEL DETECTION TECHNIQUES
(B.6.1) Thermal Neutron Activation (TNA)
(B.6.2) Fast Neutron Analysis (FNA)
(B.6.3) Pulsed Fast Neutron Analysis (PFNA)
(B.6.4) Pulsed Fast-Thermal Neutron Analysis (PFTNA)
(B.6.5) Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR)
(B.6.6) Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS)
(B.6.7) Associated (Alpha) Particle Time-Of-Flight Analysis (API)
(B.6.8) Prompt Gamma Spectroscopy (PGS)
(B.6.9) Neutron Backscatter (NB)
APPENDIX C
HIGH EXPLOSIVES AT A GLANCE
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX