The lawn shows about as much damage as if that chunk of metal was just thrown off the back of a truck. It didn't hit that spot at any significant speed.
It looks like an old Soviet era SS-21 (tochka-u) that probably had a 9N123K cluster munition warhead. The 9N123K warhead uses a low yeild explosive to airburst at about 2000 meters so the payload of 50 cluster munitions are spread out as they impact over the target area. That would be why the missile body lands nearby, mostly intact.
Having said that even the force of the explosion of a conventional HE warhead could also throw it's missile body away from the impact location so it would land nearby but I think you would probably expect to see more damage to it.
Landscaper's riding lawnmower digs bigger holes in my lawn after a rain has softened the ground. I was hoping, but not expecting, for somebody with experience to explain why there should or should not be a bigger hole.
Why should there be a hole? From impact I would think. The engine doesn't explode, but it should get thrown with some force as it is close to the explosion.
The lawn shows about as much damage as if that chunk of metal was just thrown off the back of a truck. It didn't hit that spot at any significant speed.
It looks like an old Soviet era SS-21 (tochka-u) that probably had a 9N123K cluster munition warhead. The 9N123K warhead uses a low yeild explosive to airburst at about 2000 meters so the payload of 50 cluster munitions are spread out as they impact over the target area. That would be why the missile body lands nearby, mostly intact.
Having said that even the force of the explosion of a conventional HE warhead could also throw it's missile body away from the impact location so it would land nearby but I think you would probably expect to see more damage to it.
Ok, Mr Missile Expert. Show me what you were expecting.
Landscaper's riding lawnmower digs bigger holes in my lawn after a rain has softened the ground. I was hoping, but not expecting, for somebody with experience to explain why there should or should not be a bigger hole.
Why should there be a hole? The engine of a missile is not the part that explodes.
Why should there be a hole? From impact I would think. The engine doesn't explode, but it should get thrown with some force as it is close to the explosion.