"Jim Yanik" wrote in message
.. .
Glenfiddich wrote in
:

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:52:44 -0400, Yeff wrote:

I've seen it suggested on some web pages that the Israelis are using
smaller Hellfire warheads for their anti-terror strikes than come
standard. Is this true and, if so, does anyone have a good cite?

Highly likely - if it *was* a Hellfire.

Check the early pictures of the last airstrike - the blast didn't even
remove the car's hubcaps.
Ignore later pictures - reports say the car was vandalised by souvenir
seekers.


Well,Hellfire uses a shaped charge warhead,so it makes a "jet' of
penetrating metal,tearing through the car's interior and the blast may
occur outside the car,and it would not affect the hubcaps/wheelcovers.

Think about what you just said. The fact that the standard Hellfire uses a
HEAT warhead does not really greatly affect the blast effect; it only means
that a portion of the blast has been used (as it expands outward) to invert
the liner and turn it into a stream of really hot metal and gas focused on a
small area. The explosive still exhibits a generally spherical blast pattern
overall. Set a fifteen pound demo shaped charge against the average
passenger vehicle and you'll see that it does not *need* the shaped charge
effect to do a pretty good number on the target; that much HE going off in
close contact to the car will tend to ruin everyone's day if they were
unfortunate enough to be inside it.

Brooks


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net