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Graphite bomb
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
A graphite bomb is intended to be a non-lethal weapon used to disable an electrical grid. The bomb works by spreading a dense cloud of extremely fine, chemically treated carbon filaments over air-insulated high voltage installations like transformers and power lines, causing short-circuits and subsequent disruption of the electricity supply in an area, a region or even an entire small country. The weapon is sometimes referred to as a blackout bomb or soft bomb because its direct effects are largely confined to the targeted electrical power facility, with minimal risk of immediate collateral damage.
Background
[edit]Graphite bombs usually consists of a metal canister that is filled with spools of graphite filament and an explosive device.[1] Graphite is a sufficiently good conductor and the current flowing in the fiber immediately vaporizes it, creating a thin channel of gas, ionized by the high temperature, around the space previously occupied by the fiber. The ionized gas, also a conductor, allows more current to flow, raising the temperature further and creating a bigger channel of ionized gas until the high voltage line is effectively short circuited. At this point either the protection of the line cuts the power, or the line fails due to overcurrent. In both cases the power distribution is cut.[2]
As water supply systems and sewage treatment systems depend on electricity, widespread outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases, causing large numbers of civilian deaths, have in the past been the direct consequence of this bomb's use.[3]
Uses
[edit]United States
[edit]
The American version is typically labeled "BLU-114/B". BLU is a military acronym for "bomb live unit". The submunition's explosive charge detonates ejecting the carbon filaments from the metal canister. The filaments unwind and drift down until they settle on high voltage power distribution lines.
The submunition is incorporated into the Blackout Bomb CBU-94. The CBU-94 consists of a SUU-66/B tactical munitions dispenser with 202 BLU-114/B submunitions. The submunitions each have a parachute device to orient and decelerate, and 147 reels of fine conductive fibers.[2][4][5]
The US Navy used sea-launched Tomahawk missiles with Kit-2 warheads, involving reels of carbon fibers, in Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War in 1991, where it disabled about 85% of the electricity supply. The US Air Force used the CBU-94, dropped by F-117 Nighthawks, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia on 2 May 1999, where it disabled more than 70% national grid electricity supply. The supply was restored in less than 24 hours though was later disrupted by a further attack on 7 May 1999. It was again used following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[1][2]
South Korea
[edit]South Korea has announced plans to build graphite bombs for use against North Korea to paralyse its electric grid in the event of a new war breaking out on the Korean Peninsula,[6] subject to funding from the country's finance ministry.[7] The weapons have been developed by South Korea's Agency for Defense Development, Yonhap news agency reported, as one element of the kill chain pre-emptive strike program.[6] Contractors were selected in 2020 and the weapons were intended to be delivered by 2024.[8]
China
[edit]In June 2025, the CCTV news agency shared an animated video showing a domestically produced graphite bomb, attributed to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It was shown to be fired from a land-based vehicle, ejecting 90 cylindrical submunitions. These submunitions detonate in mid-air releasing chemically treated carbon filaments designed to short circuit high-voltage equipment. It has a range of 290 km, with a warhead weighing 490 kg. It is claimed to affect an area of at least 10,000 m2.[9]
Countermeasures
[edit]The effects of a graphite bomb can be mitigated by providing insulation.[10] However, most power lines are not insulated in practice due to the high costs involved.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Fact file: Blackout bombs". BBC News. 19 March 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ a b c Jeler, Grigore Eduard; Roman, Daniel (2016). "The Graphite Bomb: An Overview of Its Basic Military Applications" (PDF). Review of the Air Force Academy. 1 (31). doi:10.19062/1842-9238.2016.14.1.2.
- ^ Thomasen, Kristen M. (24 October 2008). "Air Power, Coercion, and Dual-Use Infrastructure: A Legal and Ethical Analysis". International Affairs Review. George Washington University. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008.
- ^ "BLU-114/B "Soft-Bomb"". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "A Guide to Cluster Munitions" (PDF). ETH Zürich (1st ed.). Geneva: Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. p. 27. ISBN 2-940369-07-0.
- ^ a b Ryall, Julian (9 October 2017). "South Korea developing graphite 'blackout bombs' to paralyse North's electrical grid". The Telegraph.
- ^ Agerholm, Harriet (9 October 2017). "South Korea develops 'bomb' to wipe out North Korea's power supply". The Independent. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ Young Kim, Dae (18 August 2020). "South Korea selects companies to develop gliding graphite bomb". Janes Information Services. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Kajal, Kapil. "China's 1,080-pound graphite bomb could cripple 2.5-acre power grid". Interesting Engineering. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Eduard, Jeler (May 2016). "The Graphite Bomb: An Overview of its Basic Military Applications". Review of the Air Force Academy. 1 (31): 13.
- ^ Engber, Daniel (28 July 2005). "Why Are Power Lines So Deadly?". Slate. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
External links
[edit]- "CBU-94 'Blackout Bomb' BLU-114/B 'Soft-bomb'". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
Graphite bomb
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
A graphite bomb is a non-lethal aerial munition designed to disrupt enemy electrical power grids by dispersing clouds of fine, conductive carbon filaments that settle on high-voltage lines and transformers, inducing short circuits without causing physical destruction to infrastructure. [1][2]
The United States pioneered this technology, with the BLU-114/B submunition—deployed via cluster dispensers such as the CBU-94—representing a key advancement that releases chemically treated carbon-fiber filaments far finer than earlier conductive wire spools. [2][3]
First employed by coalition forces in the 1991 Gulf War, graphite bombs disabled approximately 85 percent of Iraq's national power supply, demonstrating their potential to paralyze command, control, and logistics without lethal effects on personnel. [4][5]
Subsequent use occurred during the 1999 NATO air campaign over Yugoslavia, where variants like the CBU-94 targeted Belgrade's grid to hinder military operations amid debates over the collateral disruption to civilian electricity access. [6][7]
These weapons exemplify precision electronic attack tactics, prioritizing temporary outages reversible through filament removal, though their effectiveness depends on weather conditions and grid resilience, with restoration often requiring hours to days of manual cleaning. [1][2]
Definition and Mechanism
Operating Principle
The operating principle of a graphite bomb relies on the dispersion of electrically conductive filaments to induce short circuits in high-voltage electrical infrastructure, thereby disrupting power distribution without inflicting kinetic damage. Upon deployment from an aerial dispenser, such as the CBU-94 cluster bomb containing up to 202 BLU-114/B submunitions, each submunition releases spools of thin carbon-fiber threads coated with graphite.[2] [8] These filaments, approximately 1.5 millimeters in diameter and uncoiling to lengths of several meters, form a dense cloud that settles over targeted power lines, transformers, or substations.[1] Contact between the conductive filaments and live high-voltage conductors—typically operating at 110 kV or higher—bridges electrical phases or grounds the lines, generating instantaneous arcs and overload currents that exceed the capacity of protective relays and circuit breakers.[1] This triggers automatic shutdowns to prevent equipment failure, cascading outages across interconnected grids as seen in empirical tests where up to 85% of a targeted electrical network was disabled.[9] The non-explosive nature of the submunitions ensures minimal structural harm, allowing for relatively rapid restoration once filaments are cleared, though persistent adhesion and weather resistance can prolong disruptions.[3]Physical Components and Deployment
The primary physical components of a graphite bomb center on submunitions designed to disperse conductive filaments, with the U.S. BLU-114/B serving as a representative example. This submunition features an aluminum body coated in yellow and overpainted silver, enclosing coiled spools of chemically treated carbon-graphite filaments. These filaments, with a thickness of several hundredths of a centimeter, exhibit high electrical conductivity due to pi electron delocalization and free electron mobility, alongside graphite's density of 2.262 g/cm³ and resistance to melting below 3500°C.[3][10] Carrier systems, such as the CBU-94/B cluster bomb, integrate 147 BLU-114/B submunitions into a single unitary package for aerial delivery. Each submunition incorporates a pyrotechnic charge to initiate filament dispersal, enabling the creation of dense, persistent clouds upon activation. The filaments uncoil mid-air to form overlapping networks resembling spider webs, optimized for adhesion to electrical infrastructure.[2][10] Deployment occurs via air launch from fixed-wing aircraft, targeting high-voltage power grids. The carrier bomb separates at altitude, releasing submunitions through spin-induced ejection or similar mechanisms, with some designs employing parachutes for vertical stabilization and precise positioning over substations or transmission lines. Upon reaching the dispersal altitude, the pyrotechnic charge expels the filaments, which settle across insulators, transformers, and conductors, inducing short circuits that overload and disable the grid without structural destruction. This method was employed in operations over Serbia in May 1999, affecting 70% of the electrical network, and Iraq in 2003, impacting 85%.[3][10]Historical Development
Early Concepts and Testing
The concept of a graphite bomb originated in the late Cold War era as a non-explosive munition designed to temporarily disable enemy electrical infrastructure by dispersing conductive filaments that cause short circuits in high-voltage transmission lines and transformers.[5] This approach prioritized reversible disruption over destructive bombing, aligning with strategic goals to minimize long-term reconstruction burdens while achieving tactical denial of power-dependent military and civilian functions.[11] The earliest implementation involved the U.S. Navy's Kit-2 warhead, adapted for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which deployed bomblets releasing spools of carbon-impregnated fiberglass wire intended to unwind into tangled strands bridging insulators and inducing arcs.[2] These crude spools, approximately the size of small reels, were engineered to generate persistent conductive paths across electrical components, with initial evaluations focusing on filament durability, dispersal patterns, and short-circuit reliability in simulated grid environments.[5] Deployed operationally in January 1991 during Operation Desert Storm against Iraqi power stations, the system demonstrated feasibility by blacking out large areas, though limitations in filament fineness and coverage prompted refinements.[11] Observing the Navy's partial success—which temporarily severed power to key facilities without structural damage—the U.S. Air Force pursued advanced iterations in the mid-1990s, emphasizing submunitions with micron-scale carbon filaments for denser, more uniform dispersal over broader areas.[5] The resulting BLU-114/B, integrated into CBU-94 cluster dispensers, underwent ground and aerial testing to assess filament conductivity, atmospheric persistence, and blackout radius, confirming efficacy against unhardened grids through controlled releases over mock substations.[2] These tests validated the mechanism's causal chain: filament deposition leading to multiple arc faults, cascading overloads, and systemic shutdowns, with empirical data showing outages lasting hours to days depending on response times.[5]Initial Operational Use
The initial operational use of the graphite bomb occurred during NATO's Operation Allied Force against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the Kosovo War. On May 3, 1999, a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber deployed BLU-114/B "soft bombs" targeting the Obrenovac thermal power station near Belgrade, dispersing fine graphite filaments that caused widespread electrical short circuits across high-voltage transmission lines.[12][13] This marked the first combat employment of such a weapon, designed to temporarily disable electrical infrastructure without kinetic destruction or significant civilian casualties.[12] The deployment affected approximately 70% of Serbia's national power grid, leading to blackouts in Belgrade and much of the country, disrupting military command, control, and communications systems.[14] Power was restored within hours to days through manual cleaning of insulators, though intermittent outages persisted until the end of the conflict on June 10, 1999.[13] NATO officials described the tactic as precise and humane, avoiding the long-term damage associated with conventional bombing of power plants, which had been employed in earlier conflicts like the 1991 Gulf War.[12] Yugoslav authorities condemned the strikes as an attack on civilian infrastructure, reporting disruptions to hospitals, water supplies, and other essential services, though NATO maintained the targets were dual-use facilities supporting military operations.[15] Post-operation assessments confirmed the bombs' effectiveness in achieving temporary grid paralysis, with filaments adhering to insulators and causing arcing that tripped circuit breakers over a wide area.[13] This use validated the concept's operational viability, influencing subsequent non-lethal munitions development.Military Applications by Nation
United States Deployments
The United States Air Force developed the BLU-114/B as a specialized submunition within the CBU-94/B cluster bomb system, designed to disable electrical grids by dispersing spools of fine carbon-graphite filaments that cause short circuits in high-voltage power lines and transformers.[2] This weapon was first employed in combat during NATO's Operation Allied Force against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999. On May 3, 1999, U.S. B-52 bombers released CBU-94/B munitions over key Serbian electrical substations near Belgrade, resulting in the temporary blackout of approximately 70 percent of Serbia's power grid, affecting civilian and military infrastructure alike.[12] [13] The filaments, which measure about 1 mm in diameter and up to 30 cm in length, draped across uninsulated conductors, leading to cascading failures without direct explosive damage.[5] Subsequent analysis indicated that while the deployment achieved rapid electrical disruption, power was restored within hours to days after manual removal of the filaments, highlighting limitations in persistence against determined recovery efforts.[16] No significant long-term structural damage to power facilities was reported, aligning with the munition's intent as a reversible, non-lethal alternative to precision strikes on dual-use targets.[2] In the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Navy integrated variants of the BLU-114/B into Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles for targeted strikes on Iraqi electrical infrastructure. These deployments, primarily in the early phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom, aimed to degrade command-and-control capabilities by inducing blackouts in Baghdad and surrounding military-supporting power nodes, with submunitions releasing carbon-fiber payloads to short-circuit transformers and distribution lines.[16] Reports from the period confirm multiple such attacks, which contributed to intermittent power losses but were followed by swift Iraqi and coalition-era repairs, underscoring the weapon's tactical utility for temporary denial rather than permanent destruction.[5] No further major U.S. operational uses of graphite bombs have been publicly documented post-2003, though the technology remains in inventory for potential asymmetric warfare scenarios.[17]South Korean Developments
In October 2017, South Korea's Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced that it had secured all necessary technologies to produce graphite bombs, also known as "blackout bombs," capable of disrupting North Korea's electrical grid in a preemptive strike scenario.[18][19] These munitions deploy chemically treated carbon graphite filaments to cause short circuits in high-voltage power lines, aiming to paralyze enemy infrastructure for up to 12 hours without lethal effects on personnel or permanent structural damage.[20][19] The development forms a key component of South Korea's "Kill Chain" preemptive strategy, designed to neutralize North Korean command-and-control systems and nuclear capabilities by targeting fragile power networks vulnerable to non-explosive disruption.[19] Military officials stated that production could commence immediately if authorized, emphasizing the weapon's role in asymmetric warfare against a numerically superior adversary.[18] No operational deployments have been reported as of 2025. In August 2020, the ADD selected domestic companies to advance a gliding variant of the graphite bomb, incorporating precision-guided glide technology for extended range and standoff delivery from aircraft.[21] This iteration builds on the 2017 baseline, focusing on improved dispersal accuracy over North Korean terrain to maximize grid outage coverage while minimizing exposure to air defenses.[21] Details on testing or full-scale production remain classified, reflecting South Korea's deterrence posture amid ongoing North Korean provocations.Chinese Advancements
In June 2025, China's state broadcaster CCTV aired an animation depicting a new "blackout bomb" designed to disable enemy power infrastructure by dispersing conductive filaments, consistent with graphite bomb technology.[7] The system is portrayed as delivering a payload that shorts out high-voltage lines, leading to widespread outages in command and control networks without explosive damage or human casualties.[22] State media claims the bomb can induce a "complete loss of electricity" across an area equivalent to approximately 2.5 acres per deployment, emphasizing its role in non-kinetic disruption of electrical grids.[7][22] This development aligns with broader People's Liberation Army (PLA) interests in electromagnetic and soft-kill weapons for asymmetric warfare, particularly in scenarios involving Taiwan, where grid paralysis could facilitate societal disruption prior to or alongside invasion.[23] Unlike earlier U.S. or South Korean variants, Chinese disclosures highlight precision delivery via aerial munitions to minimize collateral infrastructure damage, though independent verification of field testing or operational readiness remains unavailable.[7] The revelation, shared on June 26, 2025, underscores China's pursuit of low-escalation tools to counter superior conventional forces, building on observed global precedents without acknowledged prior domestic deployments.[22]Effectiveness and Operational Outcomes
Empirical Performance Data
In the 1991 Gulf War, coalition forces employed graphite bombs, resulting in the disablement of approximately 85% of Iraq's electrical generating capacity through the dispersal of conductive carbon filaments that caused widespread short-circuiting of high-voltage transformers and lines.[2][4] This disruption significantly impaired Iraqi military command, control, and logistics infrastructure, though specific durations of outages varied by site as filaments were manually cleared.[24] During NATO's Operation Allied Force in 1999, the United States first combat-deployed the CBU-94 cluster munition containing BLU-114/B submunitions on May 3 against transformer substations in five locations across Serbia, including Obrenovac, Nis, Bajina Basta, Drmno, and Novi Sad.[25] These strikes short-circuited transmission lines, blacking out approximately 70% of Yugoslavia's power grid and affecting major urban centers like Belgrade.[6][12] Power restoration occurred within 15 hours in most areas after manual removal of the filaments, demonstrating the temporary nature of the effects absent follow-on strikes.[6] Subsequent conventional attacks on power facilities from May 24–26 extended disruptions to 80% of Serbia, compounding the initial graphite-induced outages and contributing to systemic electrical instability until the campaign's end on June 10.[6][26] Empirical outcomes highlight the weapons' precision in targeting grid vulnerabilities without structural destruction, achieving rapid but reversible blackouts; in both cases, disruptions were measured in hours to days rather than permanent disablement, as adversaries prioritized filament clearance and backup generation.[13] No verified operational data exists for graphite bombs in subsequent U.S. or allied deployments, such as Iraq in 2003, where electrical targeting relied primarily on precision strikes rather than filament dispersal.[16]| Conflict | Munition | Peak Disruption | Typical Duration | Key Factors Influencing Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf War (1991) | Graphite bombs | 85% of generating capacity | Hours to days | Manual filament removal; limited backups |
| Operation Allied Force (1999) | CBU-94/BLU-114/B | 70–80% of national grid | 4–15 hours initial; days with follow-ons | Thread clearance; redundant lines |
Comparative Analysis with Conventional Munitions
Graphite bombs, such as the U.S. BLU-114/B, achieve electrical grid disruption through the dispersal of conductive carbon filaments that cause short circuits in uninsulated power lines and transformers, in contrast to conventional high-explosive munitions that employ blast and fragmentation effects to inflict physical destruction on targets.[10] This mechanism allows graphite bombs to disable power infrastructure with minimal structural damage or direct human casualties, whereas conventional bombs often result in permanent infrastructure loss, debris, and significant collateral harm including fatalities.[5] In terms of operational effectiveness against power systems, graphite bombs have demonstrated rapid, widespread blackouts; for instance, during the 1999 NATO intervention in Yugoslavia, BLU-114/B deployments affected over 70% of Serbia's national electricity grid, causing temporary outages that were restored within 24 hours after filament removal.[10][5] Conventional munitions, by comparison, require precise targeting to destroy substations or generators but frequently overshoot in effect, necessitating costly reconstruction—estimated in billions for large-scale grid attacks—while graphite disruptions are reversible and limit long-term economic impact on the adversary.[10] Cost and logistical advantages favor graphite bombs, with production expenses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit versus the higher material and deployment costs of explosive ordnance, compounded by post-strike rebuilding needs for conventional attacks.[10] However, graphite bombs exhibit limitations absent in conventional munitions, including vulnerability to weather dispersion of filaments, ineffectiveness against insulated or underground lines, and short-duration effects that allow quicker enemy recovery compared to the enduring denial provided by physical demolition.[10]| Aspect | Graphite Bombs | Conventional Munitions |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Effect | Temporary electrical short-circuiting | Permanent physical destruction |
| Collateral Damage | Low; no structural harm or casualties | High; debris, fires, and human losses |
| Recovery Time | Hours to days (filament clearance) | Weeks to years (reconstruction) |
| Scope Limitation | Uninsulated overhead lines only | Broad; structures, equipment, personnel |
| Cost Efficiency | Low unit cost; minimal rebuild needs | Higher; includes repair/replacement |