Municiones

Submunicion BLU-63A/B

Also known as
  • BLU-63(T-1)/B
  • bombeta BLU 63B

La BLU-63A/B es una bombeta de fragmentacion de alto explosivo, de origen estadounidense y accionada por impacto, para la bomba de racimo CBU-58A/B. Los manuales tecnicos describen la municion A/B como portadora de dos perdigones de titanio de 5 gramos para efecto incendiario, mientras que los informes sobre el conflicto de Yemen vinculan la familia con restos de bombas de racimo de la coalicion liderada por Arabia Saudi.

Submunicion BLU-63A/B, Bombeta de fragmentacion de alto explosivo lanzada desde el aire, Municiones
Image source: BLU 63B bomblet, air-dropped

Role in Conflicts

Early Contract Pricing

La revision de la GAO recogio dos precios de produccion tempranos para el programa BLU-63/B.

FechaContratistaPrecio unitarioContexto
1970-06Ajax Hardware Manufacturing$0.28775Contrato de precio fijo en firme de 3 anos para 42 millones de bombetas.
1971-04-07Hoffman Electronics$0.35Contrato por carta para 23,750,600 bombetas como segunda fuente.
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Estados Unidos
Type
Bombeta de fragmentacion de alto explosivo lanzada desde el aire
Service note
Bombeta de municion de racimo estadounidense de finales de la decada de 1960
Designer
U.S. Air Force
Designed
Finales de 1966
Unit cost
$0.28775 cada una en el contrato de Ajax de junio de 1970
Produced
Contratos iniciales de produccion de 1970-1971

Specifications

Diametro
2.94 in (75 mm)
Peso
0.93 pound
Peso explosivo
0.25 pound
Espoleta
Espoleta M129 accionada por impacto y armada por fuerza centrifuga
Fragmentacion
Cuerpo de acero ranurado; unos 260 fragmentos
Efecto de la variante
La BLU-63A/B anade dos perdigones de titanio de 5 gramos para efecto incendiario
Carga del portador
El SUU-30H/B carga 650 bombetas en la CBU-58A/B
Variants
  • BLU-63/B
  • BLU-63A/B
  • variante de entrenamiento BLU-63(T-1)/B
Bombas portadoras

La BLU-63A/B es una submunicion que aparece dentro de la familia de bombas de racimo CBU-58A/B.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
CBU-58A/B cluster bomb, Air-delivered cluster bomb, MunitionsCBU-58A/B cluster bombBomba de racimo

El extracto del manual de entrega de armas no nucleares del F-16 dice que el SUU-30H/B se carga con 650 bombetas BLU-63A/B para crear la CBU-58A/B.

Sources: F-16 Non-Nuclear Weapons Delivery Manual Extracts

Timeline

Submunicion BLU-63A/B Key Events

  1. Comienza el desarrollo

    La GAO dijo que el desarrollo de la bombeta BLU-63/B comenzo a finales de 1966 tras una propuesta de Avco para reemplazar la BLU-26/B.

    Sources: Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet Program

  2. Contrato de primera fuente adjudicado

    La GAO registro el contrato de 3 anos de Ajax Hardware Manufacturing para 42 millones de bombetas BLU-63/B a $0.28775 cada una.

    Sources: Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet Program

  3. Se agrega una segunda fuente

    La GAO registro un contrato por carta de Hoffman Electronics para 23,750,600 bombetas a $0.35 cada una.

    Sources: Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet Program

  4. Restos documentados en Yemen

    OSMP documento material remanente BLU-63A/B en un sitio de impacto de bomba de racimo CBU-58A/B en la gobernacion de Hajjah.

    Sources: OSMP 1545 CBU-58A/B Yemen Remnant

  5. Evidencia de bombas de racimo de la coalicion en Sanaa

    Human Rights Watch documento bombas de racimo CBU-58 con submuniciones BLU-63 en Sanaa.

    Sources: Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in Capital, Technical Briefing Note: Cluster Munition Use in Yemen

Media

Submunicion BLU-63A/B Images

Submunicion BLU-63A/B, Bombeta de fragmentacion de alto explosivo lanzada desde el aire, Municiones - view 1
Source: BLU 63B bomblet, air-dropped
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Sources

OSMP 1545 CBU-58A/B Yemen RemnantPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: BLU-63A/B submunitions were used by Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces through CBU-58A/B cluster bombs documented in Hajjah governorate in 2015. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in CapitalPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: BLU-63 submunitions were used by Saudi-led coalition forces in CBU-58 cluster bombs documented in Sanaa on January 6, 2016, with markings tied to Milan Army Ammunition Plant. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Technical Briefing Note: Cluster Munition Use in YemenPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: CBU-58 bombs with BLU-63 submunitions were used by Saudi-led coalition forces in Sanaa in January 2016. | Accessed: 2026-06-20BLU 63B bomblet, air-droppedPublisher: Imperial War Museums | Note: Supports specifications, background, and image provenance under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence for the BLU-63B bomblet images. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet ProgramPublisher: U.S. Government Accountability Office | Note: Supports late-1966 development, production-program background, BLU-63/B technical context, and the reported $0.28775 and $0.35 unit prices in the 1970-1971 procurement history. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Bomb, HE Frag, BLU-63/BPublisher: Bulletpicker | Note: Supports BLU-63/B and BLU-63A/B variant background, impact-fired fuzing, training variant context, and visual marking notes. | Accessed: 2026-06-20F-16 Non-Nuclear Weapons Delivery Manual ExtractsPublisher: Archive.org | Note: Supports the CBU-58A/B load of 650 BLU-63A/B bomblets, the SUU-30H/B carrier relationship, and the titanium-pellet incendiary difference between BLU-63/B and BLU-63A/B. | Accessed: 2026-06-27