CBU-97 usage

Hi Guys,

I'm learning to use JTAC and the CBU-97. I am able to destroy tanks with them but it seems to take forever for them to go off. Is it the fuzing that needs to be changed? I see the main bomb fall and separate. The chutes on the canisters deploy and then it takes about 45 seconds before the explosion and the tanks are destroyed. I thought the bomblets deploy out of the spinning canisters with the chutes, fly through the air skeet-like, sense their target and deploy their explosive charge.

Like I wrote above, I can destroy tanks with them but something about the length of time it takes for the bomblets to explode doesn't seem right.

Thank you,

Tom

Normal behavior. I think the setting you might like to change is HOF. By default it's 1500 feet. You can reduce it so they separate lower and take less time to get down, but the area with which they can deatroy targets will be smaller. To me: what's the rush?

It's not right, the default HOF is too high and does not match reality. Best thing to do is set it to 700, that is closest to RW performance of the SFW.

... To me: what's the rush?

The answer is blowing in the wind!

I always put the HOF on 97s and 105s on the minimum (i belive its 300 but its been a while so i could be wrong) otherwise i cant hit shit with them , especially with wind conditions mixed in. They just drop for waaaay too long on the medium-high HOF settings

Drop 9 or so in ripple singles at 1500 HOF with a 300 meter spread over a large group of targets and BOOM!!!!!!!

the ballistics of the weapons employment will dictate the optimum HOF. default is 1800ft. HOF is changed in the stores menu on the DSMS page.

300ft is ok only if you are using a low altitude loft (yes it is possible with the A-10C) which in some threat pictures may be required.

500ft is what I set as my default for most situations. I find it works quite well for most low and medium altitude engagements.

700ft is required if you are doing a high altitude release, reason being the the weapon will be in an almost 90 degree nose down attitude and at high speed when it deploys. the pucks need time to deploy and activate.

the lower the deployment altitude the better, since it gives a target less time to move out of the weapon's envelope, and it will make the sub-munitions less susceptible to wind.

Thanks all! I'll give it another go tomorrow and experiment with changing the HOF.

I have never seen a reason to use any HOF higher than 700 feet, as the dispersion of the submunitions seems to be the same as a low HOF......and the wind drifts them off target more. HOF is not based on MSL altitude, but AGL, since the CBU has a radar proximity fuze.

Keep in mind you need to beware of the offset that is imposed by 97s and 105s. Your CCIP release point or SPI from a CCRP release is not exactly where the submunitions will be falling on.

Basically the weapon falls or guides itself to your release point of SPI and deploys the submunitions at the prescribed HOF setting. Since the parachutes stop the forward momentum of the submunitions and the bomb (typically) doesn't fall at a 90 degree angle, the footprint of the submunitions will be short, unless you account for this.

It took me a while for me to get a good idea as to where my bomblets were going. Best thing I can recommend is practice with CBU 105s and experiment where you set your SPI in relation to the target and when you release the weapon. I try to launch at min range so as to reduce the seperation between my SPI and the bomblet footprint.

Drop 9 or so in ripple singles at 1500 HOF with a 300 meter spread over a large group of targets and BOOM!!!!!!!

CTD??

CTD??

Nah I only get a PowerPoint

Ya, at worst. Its a pretty boring strategy but it will kill things for sure.