OVERVIEW: A 500 lb-class American air-dropped incendiary bomb used primarily for area denial, anti-personnel, and anti-material missions. Designed for wide-area fire propagation using thickened fuel or thermite-type fillers.

DETAIL: The BLU-11/B is a conventional incendiary bomb developed by the United States Air Force for tactical operations requiring rapid ignition and area burn. It is based on the configuration of the standard Mk 82 general-purpose bomb, but filled with incendiary material instead of high explosive. The primary incendiary agent is typically a thickened fuel such as napalm or a thermite-based compound, providing long-lasting combustion and high thermal effects against personnel, light structures, and unarmored vehicles. The casing is designed to rupture upon impact, dispersing the incendiary contents over a wide area.

The BLU-11/B differs from high-explosive bombs by maximizing sustained burning rather than shock or fragmentation. Its design is optimized for jungle clearance, fuel storage destruction, and denial of enemy use of terrain or resources. The incendiary fill is dispersed upon low-altitude release or contact with the target surface. The bomb is compatible with various fuzes including impact and delay types, enhancing tactical flexibility.

The weapon is typically carried by tactical strike aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom II, F-100 Super Sabre, and later platforms like the F-15E and F-16. It is intended for suppression of soft targets and area denial, particularly in counter-insurgency and battlefield interdiction roles. Delivery profiles range from high-speed low-altitude passes to medium-altitude saturation.

-Design basis: Mk 82 GP bomb body
-Construction: Steel body, rupture casing
-Deployment profile: Low to medium altitude, free-fall

NOTE:
IOC: Early 1960s
Operators: United States Air Force
Platform: F-4, F-100, F-15E, F-16, A-7 Corsair II, A-4 Skyhawk
Conflicts: Vietnam War, Cold War-era tactical inventory

SOURCE:
U.S. Air Force Historical Studies Office: https://www.afhistory.af.mil/
Jane's Air-Launched Weapons
Federation of American Scientists: https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/blu11.htm
U.S. Department of Defense publications and declassified ordnance manuals