The US urgently approved the supply of 12,000 BLU-110A/B bombs to Israel.
The U.S. State Department activated emergency procedures to transfer a batch of 1,000-pound bombs worth $151.8 million to support Israel's operational capabilities.
The U.S. State Department has officially invoked the emergency provision of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) to approve the sale of 12,000 BLU-110A/B air-launched bombs to Israel. This decision allows the U.S. government to bypass the standard congressional review process in order to meet the urgent needs of a key regional ally.
Agreement value and supply scale
According to a Pentagon report, the total value of this agreement is estimated at approximately $151.8 million. The military assistance package includes not only high-explosive bombs but also related technical support services to maintain their effectiveness.
To expedite the order's completion, the United States will mobilize weapons from existing military stockpiles. Simultaneously, new production lines at Garland (Texas) and MCAAP (Oklahoma) will be launched to compensate for and maintain the necessary inventory levels.
Technical specifications of the BLU-110A/B bomb
The BLU-110A/B is a high-explosive variant of the Mark 83 free-fall bomb, with a nominal weight of 1,000 pounds (equivalent to over 450 kg). The advantage of the A/B version lies in its special heat-resistant coating on the bomb body, which helps prevent premature detonation in situations involving fires at bases or on runways.
In addition, these bomb casings are often integrated with JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) guidance systems. This combination transforms them into GBU-32 precision-guided bombs, allowing for low-error target attacks, often referred to as "surgical" strikes.
Deployment capability on main fighter aircraft
The Israeli Air Force has now included the BLU-110A/B in its standard weapons arsenal for attack aircraft squadrons. Main fighter aircraft capable of carrying this bomb include the F-16 Barak and Sufa variants, as well as the heavy F-15 Baz and Ra'am variants.
Notably, although the transaction is conducted as a sale, Israel will not directly pay cash for this arms shipment. Instead, the US administration will deduct the contract value from Washington's annual military aid to Tel Aviv.
