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December 25, 1999
The US Air Force and Boeing have picked the Lockheed Martin Advanced Unitary Penetrator (AUP-3M) to arm the AGM-86 Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missiles. The AUP-3M was picked over the rival British BROACH warhead. The Air Force said that the decision was made because the AUP was simpler, cheaper, and further along in development. To soothe the British, the US has agreed to continue tests on BROACH and will consider using it in other weapons in the future. The AUP warhead is able to penetrate twice as much earth and concrete as the current BLU-109 penetrating bomb. The AUP, which is 2.4m long, has a diameter of 370mm, and weighs 874kg, includes a void-sensing fuse able to detect when the warhead has broken through into an empty space. --Stephen V Cole
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