GP bombs can be fitted with a variety of fuzes and fins for different uses. To address this problem, GP bombs are often fitted with retarders, parachutes or pop-out fins that slow the bomb's descent to allow the aircraft time to escape the detonation. In low-altitude attacks, there is a danger of the attacking aircraft being caught in the blast of its own weapons. Most modern air-dropped GP bombs are designed to minimize drag for external carriage on aircraft lacking bomb bays. In many cases this is strictly a nominal weight (the counterpart to the caliber of a firearm), and the actual weight of each individual weapon may vary depending on its retardation, fusing, carriage, and guidance systems. General-purpose bombs are often identified by their weight (e.g., 500 lb, 227 kg). The GP bomb is a common weapon of fighter bomber and attack aircraft because it is useful for a variety of tactical applications and relatively cheap. The British term for a bomb of this type is "medium case" or "medium capacity" (MC). General-purpose (GP) bombs use a thick-walled metal casing with explosive filler (typically TNT, Composition B, or Tritonal in NATO or United States service) comprising about 30% to 40% of the bomb's total weight. American AN-M64 500 LB General Purpose Bomb as seen in Boeing B-29 Superfortress weapons bay.
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