Dense Inert Metal Explosive - DIME

Dense Inert Metal Explosive

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Dense Inert Metal Explosive (DIME) is an experimental type of explosive that has a relatively small but effective blast radius. It is manufactured by producing a homogeneous mixture of an explosive material (such as HMX or RDX) and small particles of a chemically inert material such as tungsten. It is intended to limit the distance at which the explosion causes damage, to avoid collateral damage in warfare.

The phrase 'inert metal' refers to the metal's non-involvement in producing the blast energy by chemical involvement in the explosion detonation reaction (as opposed to, for example, using aluminium powder to increase blast strength), rather than the metal being biologically inert. An emerging criticism of DIME weapons is that the tungsten metal filler may turn out to have unexpected strong biological effects in those who are hit by the micro-shrapnel from DIME explosions.

DIME mixtures have been studied for some time,^[1] but apparently only began to be adopted for weapons after the year 2000.