Composition H-6 is a melt-cast military aluminized high explosive. H-6 was developed in the US.
The chemical composition of H-6 is specified as follows:[1]
- 45.1 ± 0.3% RDX
- 29.2 ± 3.0% TNT
- 21.0 ± 3.0% powdered aluminium
- 4.7 ± 1.0% paraffin wax as a phlegmatizing agent.
- 0.47 ± 0.1% calcium chloride
Comp H-6 is used in a number of military applications, specifically as a explosive main fill, in munitions including aerial bombs such as the general purpose Mark 80 bombs in use with the USMC and US Navy (while USAF Mark 80s use a tritonal main fill); and underwater munitions (e.g. naval mines, depth charges and torpedoes) where it has generally replaced torpex, being less shock-sensitive and having more stable storage characteristics. It is approximately 1.35 times more powerful than pure TNT.
Properties
Manufacture
Australia is one of the largest manufacturers of Composition H-6, originally being made at St Marys Munitions Filling Factory MFF New South Wales, for the main fill of Mark 82 and 84 general purpose bombs.[3] Manufacturing has since moved to the Mulwala Propellant Facility, NSW.