Bombs

This page serves as a list of bombs in DCS, and when to use them.

General Purpose

Mark 82

A 500 pound basic-ass unguided bomb, suitable for killing most vehicles. Most accurately deployed in a divebomb (CCIP) attack pattern, but a level drop (Auto mode, or CCRP) is far safer. Being (relatively) light, more can be packed than other options.

Mark 83

A 1000 pound basic-ass unguided bomb, suitable for smaller buildings.

Mark 84

At 2000 pounds, grants the biggest booms, but you can't carry many. Best deployed against buildings.

Customizing Your Bomb

Air or Snake Eye (SE)

An attachment package for general purpose bombs, consisting of either balloons or parachutes designed to make the bomb fall more slowly. Use these when you gotta fly low (<2000 ft) above the target.

Laser Guidance

Modifies the above bombs by strapping a laser sensor and actuated fins to them. Aircraft will need to use a laser-designator equipped Targeting Pod, or a friend to shine a beam at the target so the bombs can home in on them. Also, completely changes the designation in an extremely unintuitive fashion:

Guided Bomb	Unguided Equivalent	Weight
GBU-10	Mk-84	2000 lb
GBU-12	Mk-82	500 lb
GBU-16	Mk-83	1000 lb

Laser Guided Bombs are best used against moving targets, or in situations where precision is required

JDAMs

JDAMs are much like the General Purpose bombs, except with the addition of INS guidance. Aircraft that use these typically input GPS coordinates into the bomb, fly to the right place to drop them (depends on speed and altitude, but high altitude drops can be in the neighborhood of 50nm away). These are used in situations where the targets are not moving, and you wish to avoid getting too close to defenses. Come with their own set of designations from the DoD random number factory.

Guided Bomb	Unguided Equivalent	Weight
GBU-31	Mk-84	2000 lb
GBU-38	Mk-82	500 lb
GBU-32	Mk-83	1000 lb

JSOWs (AGM-154)

While similar to JDAMs in terms of guidance and operation, JSOWS sport a pair of wings enabling them to glide much further. This enables users to drop their load well outside the range of air defenses. Requires good intel to deploy against stationary targets.

The A variant drops cluster munitions, whereas the C variant is armor penetrating.

Cluster Bombs

Technically a war crime to use nowadays, these nasty little babies are a bomb that break up into a bunch of smaller bombs above the target, littering the entire area with bomblets.

Mk 20 Rockeye, CBU-99

Baseline cluster bombs. Good against troops and lightly armored vehicles, but not much else.