The Hammer

Here we go again: the Taiwan Navy is conducing a show of force live-fire drill Wednesday which involves a fleet of F-16 fighter jets simulating attacks on enemy ships off Taiwan's eastern coast, according to the country's national news agency CNA.

Crucially the exercises involve the live deployment of multiple MK-84 general purpose bombs, which are large American-made "heavy unguided bombs" which weigh about 2,000 pounds.

CNA describes of the bomb in what's no doubt a hugely provocative signal to Beijing: "On impact, the MK-84 can blow apart buildings and other structures. It can penetrate metal up to 38 centimeters and concrete up to 3.4 meters, depending on the height from which it is dropped, and it causes lethal fragmentation across a radius of 370m."

The free-fall released MK-84 was used widely by the United States in Vietnam and is nicknamed "the Hammer" - given its significant destructive power and blast radius. As it's unguided it's also deemed among an arsenal of "dumb bombs".

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/taiwan-navy-holds-live-fire-drills-involving-f-16s-dropping-bomb-nicknamed-hammer