

The Navy wants a smarter bomb. Not just a bomb that can land within a few meters of the bull's eye — but a bomb that can do so, with just the right amount of blast.

On Monday, the Navy posted a request for information on possible concepts for "selectable output weapons." According to the description, this future weapon would have a variable blast radius, limiting the potential for civilian casualties, often referred to as "collateral damage."

"Current cylindrical steel-cased blast fragmentation warheads distribute fragmentation radially in all directions from the detonation point.

Often, many fragments travel far beyond the intended target. These fragments can create collateral damage hazards," the Navy understates. And that can lead, alas, to "restricted rules of engagement."

Currently no technology has been proven to be available that can deliver variable damage radius from one build configuration. Developing this sort of weapon could improve tactical flexibility and effectiveness by maximizing the number of kills per sortie and reducing the timeline necessary to prosecute a wider spectrum of targets.*

The American military has rarely been under greater pressure to keep noncombatants safe. Every misfire in the U.S. air war over Afghanistan and Pakistan becomes another international incident — and a propaganda win for the Taliban.

The Navy has already deployed something called the Low Collateral Damage Bomb, which is essentially a 500-pound JDAM with most of the explosive fill removed. Designing a variable yield bomb is a bit more challenging — and you still have to deal with the problem of blast fragments from a steel casing.

This is not a formal competition, however. At this point, the Navy is asking interested parties (we assume that means everyone from garage tinkerers to defense contractors) to submit idea papers: 12-point type, single spaced, 10 pages max.

[PHOTO: Wikipedia]

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