jkh@meepmeep.pcs.com (Jordan K. Hubbard) (05/23/91)
From: jkh@meepmeep.pcs.com (Jordan K. Hubbard) I don't mean me personally of course, but I have this friend who... Oh never mind. The recent series of idiot threads has put me in a parody kinda mood, but the whole idea is SILLY SILLY SILLY. Back to reality. I'm wondering a bit about the air farce's recently publicised (Gulf War) love affair with F.A.E's and some whispers I've heard about China Lake tests. Questions: 1. What materials are currently being used as fuels? I've heard of Propane being used, but it seems like the impulse energy of a C4H10/Air explosion could be improved upon significantly (and no doubt has). 2. How is the material ejected quickly and atomized properly? I know that most FAE bombs are parachute retarded, but it still seems like you'd want to get all that stuff out and busily forming a dense combustive cloud rather quickly before wind currents started dispersing it. Is it pumped, stored under high pressure, or both? 3. How do FAE's compare, pound for pound, to conventional chemical explosives like Octol? I know that this is highly contingient on the fuel used - I'm just looking for a ballpark figure here. 4. Is it true that the Navy / Air Force have managed to produce FAE detonations in the kiloton range? 5. Does anyone have any actual performance data released from the Gulf Conflict? 6. Suggestions for further reading? Many thanks.. Jordan Hubbard