SHIPPING AND STORAGE CONTAINERS

The Mk 427 Mod 0 and Mod 1 shipping and storage containers encase one fully assembled Mk 20 bomb cluster. The reusable containers consist of metal upper and lower shell assemblies that are secured with either 16 quick-release latches (Mod 0) or 18 "T" latches (Mod 1). A rubber gasket provides an environmental seal when the upper and lower shells are mated. External frame members are welded to each half of the container so the containers can be stacked six high and provide the necessary fittings for ground-handling equipment.

The reusable weapon cradle Mk 18 Mod 0 is used to ship and store two fully assembled Mk 20 bomb clusters. The cradle consists of plastic upper and lower shell assemblies, which are shock-mounted on a metal cradle assembly. The weapon cradle has forklift guides, lifting eyes, handtruck brackets, and lift devices to permit the use of handling equipment. Four supports are provided on each cradle to aid in stacking the cradle assemblies.

CBU-78/B GATOR

The CBU-78/B gator weapon is delivered as an all-up-round (AUR) (fig. 1-40). The weapon consists

Figure 1-40.-CBU-78/B gator weapon,

of the SUU-58/B dispenser, Mk 339 Mod 1 fuze, Kit Modification Unit KMU-428/B, and 60 mines (45 BLU-91/B and 15 BLU-92/B). The fuze initiation time is preset and is activated upon weapon release from the aircraft. Fuze time settings are primary mode (1.2 seconds) and option mode (4.0 seconds). The KMU-428/B adapts the mines to the dispenser; it also provides mine activation/self-destruct time selection.

SUU-58/B Subsonic Free-Fall Dispenser

The SUU-58/B consists of a cargo section with a nose fairing assembly attached, a tail cone assembly, and fuze arming wires with extractors. There are two observation windows-one for viewing the safe/arm indicator and the other to observe the fuze time-setting dials. The cargo section houses the BLU-91/B and BLU-92/B mines. The tactical weapons have two yellow bands around the nose cone fairing.

BLU-91/B and BLU-92/B Mines

The target sensors are the primary difference between the two mines. The BLU-91/B uses an armor-piercing warhead and a magnetometer type of sensor; the BLU-92/B has a fragment type of warhead with trip wires as the primary target sensor.

PRACTICE BOMBS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: ldentify the different types, purpose, and use of practice bombs to include subcaliber and full-scale practice bombs.

Practice bombs are used to simulate the same ballistic properties of service bombs. Practice bombs are manufactured as either solid, cast-metal bodies or thin, sheet-metal containers. They can be filled with wet sand to obtain the necessary weight. Since practice bombs contain no explosive filler, a practice bomb signal cartridge (smoke) can be used for visual observation of weapon-target impact.

The primary purpose of practice bombs is safety when training new or inexperienced pilots and ground-handling crews. Other advantages of practice bombs include their low cost and an increase in available target locations.

Although not classified as practice bombs, the Mk 80 (series), inert filled, LDGP bombs are used for full-scale practice bombing. These bombs are physically the same as the Mk 80 (series) LDGP service bombs, but they do not contain explosive filler and are painted blue. These bombs provide full-scale training for assembly and loading crews and pilots.

The general types of practice bombs are subcaliber or full-scale practice bombs. Subcaliber means that the practice bomb is much smaller in size and weight than the service bomb it simulates. Full-scale practice bombs are representative of service bombs in their size and weight.