19 April 2022
Brazil's Mac Jee unveils electronic fuze for air-launched weapons
by Victor Barreira
The BEF-1502 fuze was designed for general-purpose bombs and guidance kits, including the Dagger kit. It was unveiled in 2021 to convert 500 lb unguided free-fall bombs into ‘smart' munitions, shown here. (Mac Jee)
Brazil's Mac Jee Defesa is finalising development of its BEF-1502 multi-purpose all-electronic fuze system, the company told Janes in April.
The BEF-1502 combines arming and detonation functions in a single fuze system for the company's Dagger air-launched precision guidance kit and 2,000 lb BPB 2000 hard-target penetration bomb, Mac Jee said.
It can be also added to domestic and foreign made 500 lb, 1,000 lb, and 2,000 lb air-launched unguided general-purpose bombs, and to weapon guidance kits on NATO and US-made aircraft.
The high-altitude release-capable fuze system, with an in-line explosive train, was designed to be cheaper and more reliable than legacy FMU-139C/B and FMU-152A/B electro-mechanical fuzes.
The BEF-1502 relies on electronics to arm and disarm the device. With no moving parts, it provides fuzing and void sensing functions, enabling the weapon to penetrate and destroy hardened or deeply buried targets, according to Mac Jee.
The BEF-1502 contains an accelerometer and microcontroller that senses voids and layers, and detonates the warhead at the user-programmed point within the target. The system has three programmable modes.
Other fittings include a FUZ-55A/B power supply system, independent arming locks, and a programable gateway-specific processor for future development and compatibility.
It can operate at temperatures of -54º C to 71ºC, has a shelf life of 20 years, and a service life of 10 years, according to Mac Jee.
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Brazil's Mac Jee Defesa is finalising development of its BEF-1502 multi-purpose all-electronic fuze ...
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