Conventional — blast · United States · 1960
Mk 84
Mark 84 (2,000 lb bomb)
The “standard” 2,000-pound bomb of many air forces: a useful benchmark for placing larger weapons.
See Mk 84 in the 3D simulator- TNT equivalent
- 0.5 tPublic estimate
- Energy
- 1.88 GJ
- Mass
- 907 kgDocumented
- Explosive charge
- 429 kgDocumented
- Dimensions
- 3.28 m · Ø 0.46 mPublic estimate
- Type
- General-purpose bomb
- Period
- Since the 1960s
- Status
- Current
Mk 84 releases about 33,000 times less energy than Little Boy (Hiroshima, 1945).
Key points
- It would take about 25 Mk 84s to match the energy of a MOAB.
History
With guidance kits (JDAM, Paveway), it remains one of the most widely used air munitions in the world.
- 1950s Development of the Mk 80 series.
- Vietnam War Massive use.
- Today Still in service, usually guided.
How does it work?
A conventional bomb releases chemical energy: the explosive decomposes into very hot gases in a few microseconds (detonation).
Order of magnitude: a few megajoules per kilogram of explosive (1 kg of TNT ≈ 4.2 MJ), millions of times less than nuclear reactions for the same mass.
The expanding gases violently compress the air: the shock wave weakens very quickly with distance.
Estimated TNT equivalent = mass of explosive × relative effectiveness factor of that explosive (≈ 1.3 for Torpex or H-6, ≈ 1.05 for Tritonal).
Deliberately general explanations: the application provides no design or manufacturing information.
Frequently asked questions
How powerful is Mk 84?
Mk 84 has an estimated yield of 0.5 t of TNT equivalent, about 1.88 GJ of energy.
What is the history of Mk 84?
The heaviest bomb of the Mk 80 series, very widely used since the Vietnam War, often fitted with a guidance kit. With guidance kits (JDAM, Paveway), it remains one of the most widely used air munitions in the world.
What does the Mk 84 explosion look like?
The Bomb Simulator shows the fireball, shock wave and cloud of Mk 84 at real scale, over Paris, London or New York, with the sources and reliability of each value.
Sources
- Mark 84 bomb — Wikipedia (overview, to be cross-checked)
Other weapons
- Tallboy — 3.1 t
- Grand Slam — 5.5 t
- FAB-5000NG — 4 t
- FAB-9000 — 4.3 t
- BLU-82 — 5.7 t
- GBU-28 — 0.3 t
- GBU-43/B MOAB — 11 t
- FOAB — 44 t
- FAB-3000 — 1.4 t
- GBU-57 MOP — 3 t
This application is an educational tool. The animations and effect zones are simplified representations meant to illustrate orders of magnitude. They are neither a prediction of the effects of a real weapon nor a military planning tool.