Textron to supply 510 bombs to the Indian Air Force; contract for $257.7M

BY ADMIN :
The U.S. government has cleared the sale of 510 CBU-105 bombs to the Indian Air Force by awarding Textron Systems Corp. the $257.7 million contract, DefenseWorld.net reported on Thursday.
The Web-based defense and aerospace news publisher said the sensor-fused bombs are the most lethal in the world

The Textron contract, awarded under the Foreign Military Sales program, was announced on Wednesday, which means the deal was inked earlier this year.
India originally requested the sale in 2008 and estimated the cost at $375 million for the 510 bombs, 19 CBU-105 integration test assets and associated equipment.
The U.S. Defense and Security Cooperation Agency at the time told Congress that the sensor-fused weapons would help India “enhance its defensive ability to counter ground-armored threats. The missiles will assist the Indian Air Force to develop and enhance standardization and operational ability with the United States.”
Each CBU-105 carries 10 computer-controlled, radar-equipped submunitions; the submunitions are dropped using a parachute and then seek out armored vehicles and tanks to destroy, DefenseWorld.net said
The submunition has three options once on the ground: if an armored vehicle or tank is spotted, the guidance system fires a shaped charge at the vehicle which penetrates the top armor of the vehicle and damages the insides; if there is no tank or armored vehicle within sight, the submunition attacks any vehicle within 100 meters; if there are no vehicles, the subminition self-detonates.
Defenseworld.net said India had sought offsets under the contract but it was not clear if it had been agreed since the technology is said to be a closely guarded secret.
DefenseWorld.net also noted that the half-ton CBU-105 will probably be launched from a heavy aircraft such as the SU-30MKI.