Modulator

Thermobaric Weapons

After all the recent discussion about white phosporous it will be interesting to watch the discussion about this addition to the infantry arsenal:

Nor is it difficult to see why soldiers faced with rooting out loyalists to Saddam Hussein in Baghdad would covet a small version of such a weapon. City combat is dangerously unpredictable because any corner could hide an enemy. Soldiers often clear every room of every building they sweep. Thermobaric ammunition can eliminate enemies in several rooms at once.

"For urban warfare (thermobarics) could be very effective," said Andrew Koch, Washington bureau chief of Jane's Defence Weekly. "If you lob a grenade in the entrance of a building, it hits just the people in the entrance. A thermobaric weapon would (go) though the rest of the building."

This looks great when you are targeting 100% known enemy soldiers but it sure seems that the possibility of inappropriate civilian casualties is very high.

More here.

Via boingboing.

Posted by Steve on November 15, 2005