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This story was printed from Warfare, 
located at /27393/dreamwvr/warfare/delivery.htm
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DELIVERY SYSTEMS

Interestingly enough, if Saddam were to pack a payload of biological weapons into a scud missile and send it screaming at America, it wouldn't be entirely effective. This is because biological agents don't quite like the huge stresses and gravitational forces that are applied during flight. It isn't exactly a smooth ride, hurtling away through the atmosphere at speeds exceeding mach 2, you know.

Furthermore, the heat generated by the acceleration and detonation of such ballistic missiles makes them a less than ideal method of delivering live bacteriological agents. Besides, considerable technical expertise is needed to program the missile to detonate at the optimum speed, height and angle to ensure maximum dispersion of the agent.

Even if the respective vectors and trajectories were calculated, it would be extremely difficult to repeat the theoretical optimum set of results in the field due to the infinite number of variables such as wind speed, air pressure, flocks of geese obstructing the missile etc. Perhaps it is easier to just nuke the enemy. Saves a whole lot of trouble if you ask me. However despite these setbacks, Iraq has been reported to have retained at least 16 ballistic missiles, in direct violation of U.N directives. Typical.

A much better way of releasing biological agents would be to attach aerosol dispersal systems onto the belly of the missile. Something like a really mean crop sprayer. In fact, in the 1960s, the U.S did come up with a prototype of such a weapon and Iraq it seems, has improved on the original design and come up with a more efficient sprayer.

Other such developments include the use of spray tanks and liquid filled artillery shells. A demonstration can be seen on the left. Click the "Start" button to play the animation. More recently, the Serbian army has been accused of using 122mm artillery shells (filling approximately 1.8 liters either Sarin or sulfur mustard); 128mm calibre rockets (for multiple rocket launch systems - filling 2 liters of Sarin); and 100kg BAD-100 aerial bomb (filling 20 liters Sarin) and Sarin-filled 120mm mortar bombs.

LIQUID ARTILLERY SHELL

The mobile cannon shown on the previous page can be used to deliver chemical and possibly biological agents to enemy troops. It's long range enables it to do it's job without coming into close contact with the enemy. A purified chemical agent, such as Sarin or VX gas can be poured into a liquid filled artillery shell. When fired, it detonates in mid air and its contents rain death on unsuspecting ground troops. Expected scenario: "Oh look, it's raining again. Dear oh dear, I was hoping for a sunny Sunday afternoon. Looks like our cricket match is cancelled. Oh my, my skin's burning. Argh!"

AIRCRAFT DROP TANK

In the December of 1990, Iraq started work on a modified aircraft drop tank capable of releasing biological agents. The tank could be fastened to either a manned fighter jet or even a remote controlled aircraft. The tank is designed to spray up to 2000 liters of Anthrax on the specified target. The handsome dictator in action In addition to that, Iraq claims to have produced four aerosol spray tanks for aircraft. And 7,770 pounds of growth media have gone "missing". Iraq claims that they have filled 50 warheads with chemicals, according to the Department of Defense; only 30 are confirmed to have been destroyed.

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