CB470


Alpha bomblet


Overview

CB470

Top view of a CB470 cluster bomb. Note the individual doors for the bomblets all over the body.
Source: www.saairforce.co.za - © copyright lies with original owner

Origin
South Africa
Type
Aviation bomb
Entered service
1970's
Status
Limited service
Development
1970's
Developer
Rhodesia
Production
1970's until at least the early 1990's
Producer
Rhodesia
South Africa - Kentron
Designations
Alpha (Rhodesian bomblet)
Notable users
Rhodesia
South Africa

Description

Introduction

The CB470 is a late Cold War era cluster bomb of South African origin. The Alpha bomblet was developed in Rhodesia in the 1970's. When Rhodesia became Zimbabwe the designers moved to South Africa and created the CB470 bomb for use with the existing Alpha bomblet.

Design

The CB470 is a cluster bomb with a unique design. The conventionally shaped dispenser has been created around the existing round Alpha bomblet. A total of 40 bomblets are carried and each bomblet is provided with its own ejection door. Upon release the fuze each radial row of four bomblets with 0.8 second interval in order to maximize area of effect. The bomblet will first bounce on the ground, even on water or mud, before exploding mid air for increased fragmentation range.

Firepower

Each of the 40 bomblets has a RDX/TNT filling and will produce fragments that are effective against personnel, soft skin vehicles and other unarmored targets. A single CB 470 has a 70 m wide and 250 m long shrapnel footprint. When dropped at speeds of 850 to 1.000 km/h the CB470 can be safely dropped from altitudes as low as 25 meters.

Platforms

In Rhodesia the Alpha bomblets were carried by bomber aircraft. They were suspended in baskets in the bomb bay. The CB470 can be fitted to nearly every fighter or light strike aircraft of both Western and Soviet origin. In South African service it is used on the Impala Mk II, Mirage F-1AZ and Cheetah.

Users

The Alpha bomblet was used in Rhodesia and quantities may remain in Zimbabwe. South Africa adopted the CB470 eventually and it has been exported to Iraq and possibly other nations.

Variants

CB470

Side view of a CB470 cluster bomb without tail assembly.
Source: www.saairforce.co.za - © copyright lies with original owner

List of variants

Alpha bomblet
Originally the bomblet was to be dropped from the bomb bay of a bomber aircraft while suspended in baskets.
CB470
Free fall cluster bomb with 40 bomblets for use against soft targets.
CB472
Reported version with runway denial bomblets. May not have been placed in production.

Details

Facts CB470
General
Origin
South Africa
Type
Cluster bomb
Dimensions
Weight
450 kg
Length
2.6 m
Diameter
419 mm
Wingspan
0.64 m
Lug spacing
250 or 356 mm
Guidance
Guidance mode
None, free fall
Warhead
Warhead type
40x Alpha bomblet of 140 mm diameter
Warhead weight
6.2 kg per bomblet
Filler
1.3 kg RDX/TNT per bomblet
Fuse
Delayed impact fuze for airburst effect
Effect
70 m wide and 250 m long shrapnel footprint
Launch envelope
Release altitude
25 m minimum
Release speed
700 to 1.000 km/h

Media