BLU-109 penetrator warhead

The BLU-109 is a U.S.-origin 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead built around a thick steel bomb body for defeating reinforced structures and buried targets. It is best known as the warhead used in guided bombs such as the GBU-24 Paveway III and GBU-31 JDAM, including coalition airpower inventories tied to the Yemeni Civil War.

Yemeni Civil WarYemeni government and coalition forces

Conflict side: Yemeni government and coalition forces
Built by: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
Built in: United States

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions

Image source: BLU-109 aboard F-16

Profile

Type: 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead
Conflict side: Yemeni government and coalition forces
Origin: United States
Service note: Introduced in the 1980s and still used as a bomb body for guided and unguided air-delivered munitions

precision fires strike deep strikepenetratorguided bomb

Service History

In service: In service since the mid-1980s as a 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator bomb body and warhead family
Used by: United States Air Force, United States Navy, Royal Saudi Air Force, United Arab Emirates Air Force
Wars: Yemeni Civil War

Production History

Designer: U.S. Air Force program
Designed: 1985
Built by: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
Built in: United States
Produced: 1980s-present
Number built: Tens of thousands across BLU-109 production runs and follow-on procurement
Variants: BLU-109/B, BLU-109A/B, BLU-109C/B

Specifications

Weight: 2,000 pounds
Case: One-piece forged steel penetrator body
Filling: About 550 pounds of high explosive in the standard BLU-109/B
Penetration: Designed to penetrate more than six feet of reinforced concrete
Guided use: Commonly paired with Paveway or JDAM guidance kits on air-delivered bombs

Conflict Usage

Yemeni Civil War: Side: Yemeni government and coalition forcesRole: Air-delivered hard-target penetrator body for coalition strike munitionsprecision fires strike deep strike
During the Yemeni Civil War, BLU-109 warheads were supplied to Saudi-led coalition partners as part of U.S. arms sales supporting the coalition's air campaign in Yemen.

BLU-109 penetrator warhead Images

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions - view 1 — Source: BLU-109 aboard F-16

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Sectioned BLU-109

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions - view 3 — Source: GBU-31 JDAM 2,000-lb (BLU-109 Warhead)

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Sources

Air Force JDAM Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports the BLU-109 payload class, JDAM guidance context, and the weapon's use as a 2,000-pound air-delivered penetrator body. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 BLU-109 – Open Source Munitions PortalPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports BLU-109 background, penetrator-body construction, one-piece steel body description, and the relationship to guided bomb assemblies. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 General Dynamics BLU-109 Components ContractPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports current manufacturer context for BLU-109 bomb bodies and components. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Day Of JudgmentPublisher: Mwatana for Human Rights | Note: Supports Yemeni Civil War conflict use: BLU-109 2000lb penetrator warheads were supplied to Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces for the Yemen air campaign. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 BLU-109 aboard F-16Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for the primary BLU-109 image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Sectioned BLU-109Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the sectioned BLU-109 gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 GBU-31 JDAM 2,000-lb (BLU-109 Warhead)Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the BLU-109 warhead schematic gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21