IAF Receives First Batch Of More Potent Variant Of Spice 2000 Bombs That Were Used In Balakot Airstrikes

The Indian Air Force has started receiving the ‘building blaster’ version of the Spice-2000 bombs from Israel. The Spice 2000 bombs were used in the IAF’s airstrike on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror training camps in Balakot on 26 February this year, reports Times of India.

According to the report, the IAF had signed a Rs 250 crore deal with Israeli firm Rafael Advansed Defense Systems in June this year for over 100 Spice 2000s with add on kit of Mark 84 warheads, which can destroy a building completely. The deal was signed under the emergency procurement powers given to the services by the government.

The first batch of the bombs have been reportedly delivered to the Gwalior air base of the IAF. The Spice 2000 bombs have been delivered to the Gwalior air base of the IAF as it is the home base of Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft fleet of the force. At present, the Mirage 2000s are the only fighter aircraft in IAF’s fleet capable of the firing the Israeli bombs.

As per the report, the IAF decided to procure these bombs after the successful usage of them in Balakot strikes against JeM terror training camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.

However, the bombs used in Balakot strikes were the penetrator version which made holes using their weight in the concrete rooftops of the buildings in the Jaish camp which don't destroy buildings.