Penetrator bombs are tailor-made for the missions such as destruction of enemy ammunition storages, bunkers, reinforced-concrete hangars. TÜBİTAK SAGE (Defence Industry Research and Development Institute) continues its activities in this area.
A penetrator bomb, which was developed domestically against ammunition storage areas, shelters and hangars, where the tactical and strategically valuable assets were stored, passed the test. Developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE (Defence Industry Research and Development Institute), SARB-83 was tested in HABRAS (Target Ballistic Rail System Dynamic Test Infrastructure) located in Konya Karapınar. Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank announced the development from his official Twitter account. This is the first for Turkey in terms of a live ammunition trial by the said system.
Critical equipment, vehicles, weapons, gear and consumables hiding in the cave and underground shelters mostly due to the difficulty of its detection and destruction. Thanks to the latest advances in chemistry and materials science, the items in question are secured with underground shelters as well as reinforced concrete bunkers built ground. The destruction of warrior elements and / or systems hiding behind reinforced concrete during a potential assault is vital to the success of the operation. Otherwise, the hostile element continues to retain its abilities.
SARB-83 has been developed against such important ammunition depots, underground petrochemical storage areas, bunkers, aircraft shelters and command-control centres. In addition, ammunition can also penetrate rock structures, the most common shell filling material in the battlefield. In this way, it can also penetrate the cave formations in the mountains.
SARB-83, which has mass, geometric and kit interface similarity with air-to-surface free fall Mk-83 ammunition, can be released from all aircraft that can carry Mk-83. The ammunition, which can also be used in all guidance kits compatible with the said bomb, offers high efficiency against different target types based under or above ground. The SARB-83 features Sequential Penetrating Warhead (ADHB) technology based on the logic that main penetrator that explodes inside the target after the front penetrator crosses the shell. The system, which also offers high efficiency against ground targets, thus ensures high collateral efficiency on targets. Thanks to its being carried by multiple ejector rack capability, ammunition, which reduces the number of aircraft required for the operation, can be released from the F-4E / 2020 Terminator and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.
SARB-83 is in the 1000 lb (415) kilograms class like Mk-83. The diameter of the ammunition, which is 1.86 metres long, is 35.6 centimetres at the widest point. Thanks to the composite explosive type PBX-110 in the front penetrator, SARB-83 penetrates the enemy's reinforced shell and eliminates its target with the aluminium-compounded PBX-109 main penetrator filling. The ammunition, which is compatible with 3-inch hard target fuses, is triggered with ONUR-1 MOD-4 fuse at the front. In the main penetrator, triggering is provided with the domestic TST-101 fuse developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE with domestic facilities, as well as FMU-152 A / B, which can be adjusted in different modes (delay, impact, time adjusted) according to the user preference. Thanks to the design structure of the ammunition and the preferred sub-components, the SARB-83 can penetrate the 1.8-meter reinforced concrete even with a very low impact angle and speed.
