Nitro-Chem Delivers Bombs for the Polish F-16 jets

Last year the first batch of Polish-made Mk 82 bombs has been delivered by NITRO-CHEM. It was in July 2019 when the Bydgoszcz-based NITRO-CHEM company gained a capacity to autonomously manufacture the Mark 82 bombs, on its own production line. The production know-how has been transferred on the basis of a license agreement concluded by and between NITRO-CHEM and RWM Italia (Rheinmetall Defence) back in November 2017. The agreement assumed that not only would the Polish facility be tasked with production of tritonal (a mixture of 80% TNT and 20% aluminium powder, used in several types of ordnance such as free falling bombs), but also with filling of the bomb bodies with the explosives, with the casings being delivered by the Italian partner.

This type of ordnance was being procured from foreign suppliers so far. The Mk-82 bombs production line has been active in Bydgoszcz since July 2019. Developing the domestic manufacturing capacity has an actual impact on reinforcement of the national defence and security.

Mark 82 is a US-designed universal HE free-fall general purpose bomb that also complies with US Army and US Navy standards. Total weight of the bomb is 227 kilograms, whereas the explosives take up 87 kilograms of that weight. The bomb shell is created out of a single element that then is heated and treated with phosphorus, to achieve the required specification and to ensure safety of use throughout the whole lifecycle of the bomb. The bombs are filled with conventional explosives and explosive mixes. Mark 82 has been integrated on several types of aircraft now.

Furthermore, Mark 82 bomb can also be fitted with guidance kits (Paveway, JDAM, ASSM or Lizard for instance). All of the above translates into Polish autonomy in manufacturing of such munitions, as the domestic-made versions meet the high quality requirements defined by NATO. The firs Nitro-Chem Mark 82 bombs have been delivered to the Polish military in late 2019.