Draft:BAPI – Runway denial bomb

The BAPI was designed as a specialized anti-runway weapon intended to disable airfields by damaging runway surfaces and related infrastructure. According to Geografia da Força Aérea Brasileira, the BAPI is listed among the conventional bombs employed by the Brazilian Air Force. The same source identifies it as one of the FAB's domestically produced unguided bombs.^[2] In addition to runways, available descriptions also mention its intended use against bunkers, shelters, hangars, and highway strips that could serve as improvised military airstrips. Its development was reportedly carried out under the responsibility of the CTA/IAE in Brazil.^[1]

The BAPI bomb ^[1]is characterized by a small diameter and an elongated aerodynamic body, similar to that of the better-known French Durandal. In conceptual terms, it belongs to the same class of anti-runway penetration weapons as the Durandal. ^[3]

The BAPI has an overall length of 2.69 metres, a diameter of 231 mm, and a total weight of 238 kg. Its warhead weighs 13 kg and is capable of creating a crater up to 7 metres in diameter and 2 metres deep. Because of its similarity to the French weapon, the BAPI appears to operate in a comparable manner, as a weapon intended for penetrating attacks against runway surfaces.^[1]

Anti-runway penetration munitions ^[4][5] like Durandal are generally associated with low-level attacks against airfield surfaces, and specialization in this role has faced competition from precision-guided weapons ^[6][7] in later decades.^[8] In Brazil, the BPEN series of penetration bombs has been developed, to which guidance kits can be added. These include the BPEN 500 and BPEN 1000, produced by Magnaghi Friuli Aerospace.

The BAPI^[1] consists of four main components: a warhead, a control system with fuze, a rocket motor, and a braking parachute. The operational envelope of the weapon indicates a launch speed in the range of 360 to 520 knots and an altitude of approximately 100 metres. The crater effect was achieved through penetration of the target surface, aided by the rapid burn of a rocket motor.^[1]

The characteristics of the bomb are as follows: ^[1]

In Brazilian Air Force service, the BAPI was integrated with the F-5EM and A-1M (AMX) aircraft.^[1][9][10] This made the weapon suitable for carriage by light strike aircraft already in Brazilian service.

• Matra Durandal – French anti-runway bomb ^{[11] [12]}
• DRDO SAAW – Indian precision-guided anti-airfield weapon ^{[13] [14] [15]}
• JP-233 – British runway denial weapon ^[16]
• BAP 100 – Smaller French anti-runway weapon adopted by the French Air Force ^[17].

• BAPI – Bomba Anti Pista at Portal Defesa
• Armamentos at Geografia da Força Aérea Brasileira