E61 anthrax bomblet

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The E61 anthrax bomblet was an American biological sub-munition for the E133 cluster bomb. This anti-personnel weapon was developed in the early 1950s and carried 35 milliliters of anthrax spores or another pathogen.

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History

Around October 1953 the United States Air Force reoriented its biological warfare program. One result of this, in anti-personnel weaponry, was a move away from weapons such as the M33 cluster bomb to the lethal E61 anthrax bomb. [1] The E61 was first developed in January 1951 as both an anti-personnel and anti-animal weapon capable of being clustered and dropped from a medium height. [2] On March 5, 1954, a directive from the U.S. Department of Defense altered the course of the U.S. biological weapons program. [3] The program shifted focus to developing munitions that were not only improved but those that could be delivered by high speed aircraft and balloon. [3] The weapons referred to included the E61 bomblet. [3]

Specifications

The E61 bomblet was a 12-pound (230 g) [3] anti-personnel bomb designed to be carried in the E133 cluster bomb. [4] [5] The cluster bomb was designed to hold about 540 of the E61 anthrax bomblets. [5] [4] The E61 held about 35 milliliters (1.2 U.S. fl oz) of agent [6] and a variety of pathogens could be used, [5] generally anthrax spores. [4] [3] The E61 was perceived as superior to its predecessors, the M33 cluster bomb and its payload of M114 bombs. [6] [2] In fact, four of the smaller E61 bomblets produced twice the coverage area of the larger M114 bomb. [6] Upon impact the E61 would detonate releasing an aerosol of its anthrax spore laden slurry into the air of its target area. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">E120 bomblet</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">M33 cluster bomb</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">M114 bomb</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flettner rotor bomblet</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">M34 cluster bomb</span>

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References

  1. Whitby, Simon M. Biological Warfare Against Crops, (Google Books), Macmillan, 2002, pp. 114-15, ( ISBN   0333920856).
  2. 1 2 Endicott, Stephen Lyon and Hagerman, Edward. The United States and Biological Warfare: Secrets from the Early Cold War and Korea, (Google Books), Indiana University Press, 1998, p. 72, ( ISBN   0253334721).
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Guillemin, Jeanne. Biological Weapons: From the Invention of State-Sponsored Programs to Contemporary Bioterrorism, (Google Books), Columbia University Press, 2005, p. 101, ( ISBN   0231129424).
  4. 1 2 3 Cirincione, Joseph. Deadly Arsenals:, (Google Books), APH, New Delhi: 2004, p. 60, ( ISBN   8176487325).
  5. 1 2 3 4 Chauhan, Sharad. Biological Weapons, (Google Books), APH, New Delhi: 2004, p. 197, ( ISBN   8176487325).
  6. 1 2 3 Smart, Jeffery K. Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare Archived 2012-08-26 at the Wayback Machine : Chapter 2 - History of Chemical and Biological Warfare: An American Perspective, (PDF: p. 51 - p.43 in PDF), Borden Institute , Textbooks of Military Medicine, PDF via Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, accessed December 28, 2008.