GB500 (570 kg)
Contents
Description
The GB-500J, previously LS-500J, aka TG500 (天戈 TianGe 500; lit. Heavenly dagger-axe; where dagger-axe 戈 was a traditional Chinese melee weapon) in NORINCO's catalogue, is one of the guided aerial bombs in PLAAF/PLANAF and the first LGB developed by Asian countries in the 1980s. The project for domestic LGB was started way back in the 1980s and was tested by H-5 (IL-28 (Family)) with ground guidance units controlled by PLAGF; the bomb was later used by the experimental Q-5E/F series and later by PLAAF domestic jets after the 2000s guided by onboard targeting pods.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
General info
| Bomb characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Mass | 570 kg |
| Guidance | Laser |
| Explosive mass | 220 kg |
| Explosive type | TNT |
Effective damage
With 220 kg of TNT filled inside the bomb, the GB-500J can sometimes destroy multiple targets packed within a certain radius with overpressure, explosive and shrapnel damage.
Comparison with analogues
- GBU-16 Paveway II - NATO 1000 lbs (~500 kg) class LGB with higher explosive content
- KAB-500L - Warsaw-Pact/CIS 500 kg LGB with much higher explosive content
Usage in battles
Although it has lesser explosive content than its Western counterparts while being heavier (the heaviest along all 500 kg/1000 lbs class LGBs), the sheer size can still make sure grouped targets will face their end quickly if the bomb lands between them within a certain radius, let alone single target. Be sure to pick the target wisely - it's better to leave the bomb for targets in their stronghold or covers, or those racing for friendly capture points; leave the SPAAs or IFVs for the 130/90 mm rocket pods instead.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- The earliest accessible LGB to players (as low as 9.7)
- Sufficient explosive content to take out multiple targets at a certain radius
Cons:
- Lesser explosive content than NATO/Warsaw-Pact equivalents
- The heaviest 500 kg-class LGB, requires well-planned drops (at high altitude/using CCRP)
History
After seeing the potential of guided bombs during the Vietnam War and the demand for military modernization, PLAAF called for domestic guided bombs by the late 1970s; there were earlier tests with domestic LGB with a testbed based on H-5 in 1983 and ground targeting tests were done by 1984, but the lack of dedicated airborne platform still hindered the progress of LGBs. By the time Q-5 had undergone modernizations in the 1990s, a Q-5 was modified into the E variant with a revised bomb pylon for LGB while another one as the F variant for carrying targeting pod; although the test was successful, it was Q-5L and Q-5N that eventually become the first PLAAF jet to carry domestic LGB.
By 2012, the LS-500J (TG500) was sold by NORINCO Harbin Jiancheng Machinery Group Co. Ltd (中国兵器工业集团 哈尔滨建成集团有限公司) under the name TianGe (天戈) alongside with its 250 kg and 1000 kg variants; thanks to its lesser weight and smaller size, most PLAAF jets, especially domestic multirole fighters in the 21st century can carry the bomb while maintaining flexibility to self-defence.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
- Chinese LGBs
Overseas equivalents
- GBU-16 Paveway II - NATO standard 1,000 lb LGB (1097 lbs, 497 kg) which also used by ROCAF's F-16
- KAB-500L - Warsaw-Pact/CIS equivalent at 500 kg class
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
