OVERVIEW: The 400kg General Purpose Bomb (GPB) is an unguided, high-explosive aerial bomb used for medium to heavy strike missions against fortified positions, infrastructure, and troop concentrations. It is designed to deliver substantial blast and fragmentation damage over a wide area.

DETAILS: Typically constructed with a thick steel casing and filled with high explosives such as TNT or Composition B, the 400kg GPB is optimized for effectiveness against hardened or clustered targets. It is often fitted with fixed stabilizing fins and supports various fuzing options, including instantaneous or delayed detonation depending on mission requirements. The bomb provides a balance between payload capacity and carriage flexibility, allowing deployment from both medium and heavy aircraft. Used in both direct and indirect attack profiles, it is suitable for tactical interdiction, area denial, and runway cratering. Some versions can be modified with guidance kits for enhanced accuracy in modernized air forces.

ROLE SUMMARY:
Category: Aerial Bomb
Primary Use: Tactical and medium-strike missions
Function: Blast and fragmentation via high-explosive payload
Strong Against: Hardened structures, troop concentrations, light armor, runways
Weak Against: Moving targets, deep bunkers, missions requiring high precision
Platform: Medium and heavy combat aircraft (e.g., Mirage 2000, Su-22, Su-24, JAS 39 with legacy munitions integration)
Integration: Compatible with standard bomb racks; some variants adaptable to guided bomb kits

SOURCE:
Janes Air-Launched Weapons ; French and Swedish Air Force Ordnance Manuals ; FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency) ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_bomb