Munitions

BLU-109 penetrator warhead

Also known as
  • BLU-109
  • BLU-109/B
  • BLU-109A/B
  • BLU-109C/B
  • I-2000
  • HAVE VOID
  • bunker buster

The BLU-109 is a U.S.-origin 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead built around a thick forged-steel bomb body for defeating reinforced structures and buried targets. It appears as the bomb body inside guided weapons such as GBU-24 Paveway III and GBU-31 JDAM configurations, with source-backed conflict context ranging from Saudi-led coalition stocks in Yemen to Israeli JDAM-linked use and transfers in Gaza, Lebanon, and the 2025 Israel-Iran fighting.

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions
Image source: BLU-109 aboard F-16

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead
Service note
Introduced in the 1980s and still used as a bomb body for guided and unguided air-delivered munitions
Designer
U.S. Air Force program
Designed
1985
Produced
1980s-present
Number built
Tens of thousands across BLU-109 production runs and follow-on procurement

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
JDAM configuration
GBU-31(V)3/B uses the BLU-109 hard-target penetrator body with a GPS/INS JDAM tail kit
Service context
U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory described BLU-109 as a penetrator weapon used for more than three decades before the BLU-137 follow-on program
Variants

BLU-109 designations distinguish the baseline penetrator body from later insensitive-munition and follow-on production variants while keeping the same 2,000-pound hard-target role.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
BLU-109/BBaseline 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator

Air Force and industry sources describe the BLU-109/B as the 1980s U.S. hard-target penetrator body used with guidance kits such as JDAM and Paveway.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, General Dynamics BLU-109 Components Contract

BLU-109A/BFollow-on BLU-109 family designation

OSMP identifies BLU-109A/B inside the 2,000-pound GBU-31 family of Mk 84, BLU-109, and BLU-109A/B bomb-body configurations.

Sources: BLU-109 - Open Source Munitions Portal

BLU-109C/BInsensitive-munition safety-feature variant

OSMP identifies BLU-109C/B remnants by aft closure-ring features with vent holes associated with insensitive-munition safety design.

Sources: OSMP 1095 BLU-109C/B Lebanon Remnant

Compatible Bomb Kits
Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb, Laser-guidance kit for gravity bombs, MunitionsPaveway II Plus Laser Guided BombLaser-guidance kit

Lockheed Martin says the Paveway II Plus kit remains compatible with BLU-109 warheads.

Sources: Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb

Carried Bomb Systems
CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
GBU-24 Paveway III, 2,000-pound-class laser-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-24 Paveway III2,000-pound-class laser-guided bomb

Air Force procurement material identifies the BLU-109 warhead as used on the GBU-24 weapon system.

Sources: Air Force Ammunition Procurement FY19

GBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bomb, MunitionsGBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bomb

Air Force procurement material identifies the BLU-109 warhead as used on the JDAM GBU-31V3 weapon system.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet

GBU-10 Paveway II, 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-10 Paveway II2,000-pound laser-guided bomb

FY19 Air Force procurement material lists the GBU-10 Laser Guided Bomb as a weapon system that uses the BLU-109 warhead.

Sources: Air Force Ammunition Procurement FY19

GBU-27 Paveway III, 2,000-pound hard-target laser-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-27 Paveway IIILaser-guided bomb

FY19 Air Force procurement material lists the GBU-27 as a weapon system that uses the BLU-109 warhead.

Sources: Air Force Ammunition Procurement FY19

Timeline

BLU-109 penetrator warhead Key Events

  1. BLU-109 enters the hard-target weapon family

    AFRL later described BLU-109 as a penetrator weapon developed for buried and hardened targets and employed for more than three decades.

  2. General Dynamics second-source production

    General Dynamics announced a U.S. Army Contracting Command award for BLU-109 penetrator bomb bodies and components, adding a second production source.

  3. Reported transfer to Israel

    Reporting citing U.S. officials said 100 BLU-109 bombs were transferred to Israel after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack.

  4. Israeli F-15I JDAM carriage identified

    OSMP identified BLU-109 bombs fitted with JDAM kits on Israeli F-15I aircraft associated with the strike that killed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.

  5. Israel-Iran conflict imagery

    OSMP cataloged Israeli Air Force imagery from June 13, 2025 as showing BLU-109 and GBU-31 JDAM munitions in the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict context.

Media

BLU-109 penetrator warhead Videos

BLU-109 penetrator warhead Images

BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions - view 1
Source: Sectioned BLU-109
BLU-109 penetrator warhead, 2,000-pound hard-target penetrator warhead, Munitions - view 2
Source: GBU-31 JDAM 2,000-lb (BLU-109 Warhead)
Related Weapon Systems
GBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bombThe GBU-31(V)3/B is the hard-target penetrator variant of the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, pairing a Boeing JDAM GPS/INS tail kit with the BLU-109 penetrator bomb body. Official U.S. sources describe its GPS/INS guidance, 2,115-pound launch-weight configuration, and 15-mile range class, while open-source munition and aviation reporting connect the BLU-109 GBU-31 JDAM lane to Israeli operations during the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict.
GBU-31 JDAM (Mk 84 / BLU-109), 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb configuration, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31 JDAM (Mk 84 / BLU-109)2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb configurationThe GBU-31 JDAM is the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition configuration built around Boeing's GPS/INS tail kit and either a Mk 84-class general-purpose bomb body or a BLU-109 hard-target penetrator body. U.S. military and Federal Register sources distinguish the KMU-556 Mk 84 configuration from the KMU-557 BLU-109 configuration, while direct conflict-use reporting traces GBU-31/JDAM employment from Kosovo and Afghanistan to Iraq, Yemen, Operation Inherent Resolve, the Israel-Hamas war, and the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.
GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, Air-delivered deep-penetration guided bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance PenetratorAir-delivered deep-penetration guided bombThe GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator is a Boeing-built U.S. Air Force GPS-guided bunker-buster bomb for hardened and deeply buried facilities. Developed from a Defense Threat Reduction Agency technology demonstration and integrated for B-2 Spirit employment, it became operationally documented in June 2025 when U.S. B-2s used 14 weapons against Iranian nuclear target areas during Operation Midnight Hammer, an event tracked in both the catalog's U.S.-Iran and 2025 Israel-Iran conflict scopes.
GBU-28 Paveway III, 5,000-pound laser-guided penetrator bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-28 Paveway III5,000-pound laser-guided penetrator bombThe GBU-28 Paveway III is a U.S. 5,000-pound-class hard-target penetrator bomb rushed into service for Operation Desert Storm and later retained as a specialized air-launched bunker-buster. GAO and Air & Space Forces sources describe a semi-active laser-guided weapon with a 4,400-pound-class penetrator warhead, while later GBU-28B/B and GBU-28C/B variants added GPS/INS guidance and the BLU-122 improved penetrator for all-weather hard-target attack.
GBU-24 Paveway III, 2,000-pound-class laser-guided bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-24 Paveway III2,000-pound-class laser-guided bombThe GBU-24 Paveway III is a U.S.-origin 2,000-pound-class laser-guided bomb family that combines a Paveway III guidance section and airfoil group with Mk 84, BLU-109, or related hard-target bomb bodies. Official and military-history sources document GBU-24 use in the Gulf War, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the 2003 Iraq War, while Yemen rights-monitoring sources identify GBU-24 or Paveway III-series remnants from Saudi/UAE-led coalition airstrikes where fragmentary evidence can limit exact bomb-body identification.
GBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound JDAM bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound JDAM bombThe GBU-31(V)1/B Joint Direct Attack Munition is the Mk 84 general-purpose lane of the 2,000-pound JDAM family, combining Boeing's GPS/INS tail-control kit with a 2,000-pound-class bomb body. Official Air Force, Navy, Boeing, and security-assistance sources separate this KMU-556/Mk 84 configuration from BLU-109 penetrator GBU-31 variants, while direct records document exact or Mk 84-specific GBU-31 use in the 2011 Libya air campaign and the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict.

Related News

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: 2026-07-02Air Force Ammunition Procurement FY19Publisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports BLU-109 use on the GBU-10 and GBU-27 Laser Guided Bomb weapon systems in FY19 ammunition procurement material. | Accessed: 2026-07-02BLU-109 - Open Source Munitions PortalPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports BLU-109 background, penetrator-body construction, one-piece steel body description, variant-identification context, and the relationship to guided bomb assemblies. | Accessed: 2026-07-02General Dynamics BLU-109 Components ContractPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports current manufacturer context for BLU-109 bomb bodies and components. | Accessed: 2026-07-02AFRL Advanced Penetrating WeaponPublisher: Air Force Research Laboratory | Note: Supports BLU-109 development context, its hardened-target role, and BLU-137 follow-on program background. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Day Of JudgmentPublisher: Mwatana for Human Rights | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War conflict use: BLU-109 2000lb penetrator warheads were supplied to Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces for the Yemen air campaign. | Accessed: 2026-07-02DSCA UAE JDAM SustainmentPublisher: Defense Security Cooperation Agency | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War transfer context: the November 2015 UAE JDAM notification listed 750 GBU-31V3 munitions with BLU-109 bombs and said the munitions would sustain the UAE as part of the Saudi-led coalition to restore Yemen's legitimate government. | Accessed: 2026-07-04OSMP 1212 Red Sea BLU-109Publisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War U.S. fielding context: OSMP identified U.S. Central Command Red Sea imagery dated March 18, 2025 as showing BLU-109 and GBU-31 JDAM munitions. | Accessed: 2026-07-04OSMP 1314 Red Sea BLU-109Publisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War U.S. fielding context: OSMP identified U.S. Central Command Red Sea imagery dated April 7, 2025 as showing BLU-109, GBU-31 JDAM, and JDAM kit evidence. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Al Jazeera BLU-109 Transfer ReportPublisher: Al Jazeera | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct transfer context: reporting citing U.S. officials said 100 BLU-109 bunker-buster bombs were transferred to Israel after the October 7 attack. | Accessed: 2026-07-02OSMP 781 Nasrallah Strike BLU-109 IdentificationPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict direct use context: OSMP identified BLU-109 bombs fitted with JDAM kits on Israeli F-15I aircraft associated with the September 27, 2024 Nasrallah strike. | Accessed: 2026-07-02OSMP 1450 Israel-Iran BLU-109 IdentificationPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict direct fielding context: OSMP cataloged Israeli Air Force June 13, 2025 imagery as BLU-109 and GBU-31 JDAM munitions. | Accessed: 2026-07-02OSMP 1095 BLU-109C/B Lebanon RemnantPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports BLU-109C/B variant-identification context from a Lebanon remnant with aft closure-ring features. | Accessed: 2026-07-02BLU-109 aboard F-16Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for the primary BLU-109 image. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Sectioned BLU-109Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the sectioned BLU-109 gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GBU-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: 2026-07-02Paveway II Plus Laser Guided BombPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports Paveway II Plus compatibility with BLU-109 warheads and the GBU-16-class Paveway II family configuration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02