The JP233, originally known as the Low-Altitude Airfield Attack System (LAAAS), is a British submunition delivery system. It consists of large dispenser pods carrying several hundred submunitions designed to attack runways.

Design and development

Development of the system began in 1977 as a 50/50 cooperative programme between Hunting Engineering (now known as INSYS) of the UK and the US Air Force. The USAF intended to use the weapon with its General Dynamics FB-111 strike aircraft; however, in 1982 rising costs led them to pull out of the programme, and the British completed development on their own for potential use with the Panavia Tornado, SEPECAT Jaguar and Hawker Siddeley Harrier.

The HB-876 mines would lie scattered on the surface, making rapid repair of the runway very hazardous. The outside of the munition was surrounded by a "coronet" of spring steel strips that were held flat against the sides of the mine. After landing on the surface, a small explosive device would fire and release the coronet springs such that the mine would become "erect" on the surface, with its self-forging fragment warhead pointing vertically upwards. The cylindrical case of the mine was made from dimpled steel and on detonation would spread small steel anti-personnel fragments, rather like a hand-grenade, in all radial directions. They would explode at preset intervals or if disturbed. Standing above the surface on the coronet of spring steel legs, they would tilt toward a bulldozer blade when pushed before detonating and firing the forged fragments toward the vehicle. In fact, none of the losses occurred during the attack phase of a JP233 mission. Only one aircraft was lost carrying the JP233, when Tornado ZA392 crashed into the ground approximately after delivering the weapon at low level; enemy fire was not reported and it was believed that this was an incident of controlled flight into terrain.

What alarmed the crews of British and Saudi Arabian Tornados using JP233 was that the aircraft was brightly illuminated at night by the exploding munitions. Attacks using JP233 were suspended six days into the Gulf War, as the Iraqi Air Force was effectively flying no missions.

With the increasing availability of standoff attack munitions capable of the same mission with little risk to the flight crew and aircraft, and the British entry into the Land Mines Treaty (which declares the HB-876 illegal), the UK withdrew the JP233 from service in 1998. JP233 would also have been rendered prohibited under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Examples of the JP233 are in various museums. The Imperial War Museum also has films, viewable online, of tests of the JP233 Airfield Attack System and Airfield Denial System. The Cold War Gallery of the National Museum of the US Air Force has a JP233 on display, fitted to a Panavia Tornado GR1 aircraft.

See also

  • Area denial weapons
  • Ottawa Treaty

References

Further reading

  • New British anti-airfield weapon, Flight International.