As if coming under indirect fire isn't bad enough. If thermobaric ammunition is being used, cover and luck are out the window... being within the blast radius alone garauntees you are going to be a casualty whether your in a fighting position or not. Looks like mathmaticians will once more rule the battlefield in a way they haven't since Napoleon's day.

Thermobaric advances from Bulgaria

Darren Lake Vazovski Mashinostroitelni Zavodi (VMZ) (Hall 6), one of Bulgaria’s largest defence enterprises, has developed two new types of thermobaric ammunition, including what is believed to be the world’s first thermobaric mortar bomb. The company has already developed a thermobaric rocket-propelled grenade with the designation GTB-7VS. With a calibre of 81mm, the new mortar round (below) is aimed at the large number of countries that operate systems of this calibre. VMZ deputy general manager Hristo Ivanov says the company is particularly interested in the European and American markets. The mortar systems included are the L16A1 and US M1 and M8-111. According to VMZ, the round creates a peak overpressure of 50kPa in a minimum radius of 5m from the hit point or in an enclosed room with a volume of 60m3. Within the burst zone temperatures reach in excess of 800°C. The mortar round has a length of 635mm and weighs 3.9kg. The explosive is TB/A-IX-2 and weighs 1.1kg. The rounds come packaged in groups of three in plastic containers. Svetoslav Noev, head of the sales department at the company, says there would be no difficulty in manufacturing 61mm or 82mm variants of the mortar bomb. The second round that has been developed by VMZ is a thermobaric warhead for the 9M14M Malyutka (NATO designation: AT-3 Sagger) anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system (top). Utilising existing technology, the round has been designed for destruction of enemy emplacements such as bunkers and reinforced buildings, with precision from a distance. Similarly to the mortar round, the new missile creates a peak overpressure of 50kPA, but the radius of the overpressure is a minimum of 8m from the hit point or in an enclosed room with a volume of 100m3. The missile has a calibre of 125mm and measures 800mm in length. It weighs 12.7kg, but when packaged with a launcher the weight is 19kg. The maximum range is stated as 3,000m with the missile having an average flight speed of 130m/s. The company has also upgraded the guidance system for the Sagger. The system now includes day/night fire-and-observe capability. The infrared optical system can detect a 2.5m2 target at a distance of 3,000m. The guidance system also features fire and forget/observe capability and an improved kill probability. Ivanov says there are customers for both types. Although he could not name the customers, he says compliance with NATO and EU standards restricts whom Bulgarian companies can sell to.

"The degenerative and loony should never be denigrated but, rather, thanked. In their absence, the rest of you would be obliged to fill congressional seats... positions naturally unsavory to the sane and honorable."

Thorax

oh...crap.

Being light infantry just got a little less fun. How long 'til the bad guys get hold of a few of these?

Damn, now team leaders can call in a portable BBQ. Better break out the SPF 5000