In addition to standard Western – NATO series Mark-81 (250 lb), Mark-82 (500 lb), Mark-83 (1,000 lb), Mark-84 (2,000 lb) steel bombs that we distribute and systems integrate, we also produce the High Frag advanced combat qualified versions of the classic Mk-80 series that have been combat qualified for over 20 years.  Since 2008 Caina-Longbranch also has two smaller aerial bombs that are currently under development in both classes.  We provide both bomb casings and completed filled bombs upon customer request and offer the installation of customer supplied fuses or a range of impact and proximity fuses to meet tailored operational requirements.  To support in IMO shipping logistics, we provide qualified explosives filling on three continents and currently qualifying a fourth facility within our network.

OUR MK-80 Series integreated aircraft bomb program consists of the following in all four class sizes of MK-81, MK-82, MK-83, and also MK-84

– Cast steel bomb casings. These are the lower cost options, and while quite serviceable a cast steel body fragments inconsistently when the bomb detonates. The cast steel bomb casings break up much like a flower pot when dropped with large and small inconsistent fragments, but not in a consistent radial or elliptical blast pattern depending on how the bomb is released from the aircraft pylons..

– Forged Steel bomb casings. While the forging process costs more then the casting process, the metallurgy is better and more homogenous. The detonation creates more consistent metal fragments/splinters and the spread is more consistent.

Next we progress to High Frag & High Frag incendiary bomb casings, depending on your specific application.

– using our 8mm “ball bearings” this provides a devastating anti personnel solution. Depending on terrain and targets a proximity fuse can be used for close to ground air burst or detonating on the side of a mountain or rough terrain offering a lot of natural hard cover. In this way the detonation eliminates hard to get targets arrayed on the side of a hill / in rough terrain in a close in anti ambush role. For example, a High Frag Mk-81 250 pound bomb has roughly the same fragmentary effect as a conventional MK-82 500 pound steel bomb (usually cast steel for economy).

N.B. Extensive experience has shown when using proximity fuzes, only a nose fuze is really necessary, and the use of a tail fuze is both redundant and a waste of money in return for little or no effect, unless you need delayed impact as a penitrator / deep penitrator bomb. The second fuze in the tail is even redundant with nose impact fuzes as both nose and tail fuzes are not required for most targets. As much as we have to provide what the customers want, at the same time we also are obligated to provide technical leadership based on many years of experience for our customers to at least consider as well.

– using the 12.5mm “ball bearings” provides both a greater anti vehicle and light armour solution as will as anti personal to a lesser extent due to the larger, fewer ball bearings

– we can also use 15mm “ball bearings” however, they are of better effect in the larger MK-83 and MK-84 high frag bomb casings for increased anti-armour effect. The larger the “ball bearings”, the greater the mass and kinetic energy for increased anti armour effect.

In all of the high frag bombs we can add an incendiary effect to ignite or “light up” the target hit. The “ball bearings” penetrate the target and the incendiary compound “lights up” the target.

We also produce the standard conventional steel conical tail fin assemblies for the MK-81, MK-81, MK-83, and MK-84. These steel conical tail fin assemblies can be provided with the bomb casings or offered separately for your own current inventory of bomb casings, and are also supplied to other OEM manufacturers upon request.