US tests bomb that splits ships in half

By Dean Murray

The U.S. has successfully tested a lighter version of a bomb that can blast huge ships in half.

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) said Wednesday (June 4) they dropped a 500-pound QUICKSINK munition from a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

It follows a dramatic 2022 trial where a larger 2,000-pound variant was used to destroy a full-scale surface vessel.

The USAF say the smaller version of the precision-guided bomb offers a lower-cost anti-ship weapon, with more being able to be carried by bombers and fighter jets.

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Col. Dan Lehoski, 53rd Wing commander, said: "QUICKSINK offers an affordable, game-changing solution to rapidly and efficiently sink maritime targets.

"AFRL’s 500-pound QUICKSINK variant adds options for the warfighter and enhances operational flexibility."

The live-fire exercise was a collaborative effort between Air Force Materiel Command’s Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Air Force Test Center and Air Combat Command’s 53rd Wing.

Col. Matthew Caspers, AFRL Munitions Directorate commander, said: "QUICKSINK is the result of a Joint collaboration that rapidly prototyped an affordable concept for holding surface targets at risk."

It has not been reported what target the new variant was used against.