airburst

airburst

[′er‚bərst]

(ordnance)

Any burst in the air, but usually the bursting of a projectile or bomb above the ground with resulting spray of fragments. Also known as aerial burst.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

airburst

An explosion of a bomb or a projectile above the surface as distinguished from an explosion on impact with the surface or after penetration. Special fuses are used for this purpose.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved