Helldivers 2 Eagle 500kg Bomb guide: stratagem code, unlock (Level 15, 10,000 Requisition Slips), blast radius, post-6.3 damage numbers, and aiming tips.
500 kg Bomb Helldivers 2: Stats, Code, Unlock and How to Actually Hit Things
The Eagle 500kg Bomb is Helldivers 2's signature delete button: unlock it at Level 15 for 10,000 Requisition Slips, call it in with the code Up, Right, Down, Down, Down (↑→↓↓↓), and one well-placed bomb destroys nearly any structure or heavy in the game. Post-Update 6.3 its projectile deals 2,000 damage with a 1,500-damage explosion in a ~25m radius — enough to one-shot Bile Titans, Factory Striders, Chargers and Fabricators — but only if you account for its quirks: it drops parallel to your throw, takes about a second to detonate after impact, and has brutal damage falloff. This guide covers the code, the numbers, and why your bombs keep "missing."
Official resources: Steam store page · Helldivers Wiki (wiki.gg) — Eagle 500kg Bomb · Fandom — Eagle 500kg Bomb · Game8 — Code and unlock
500kg Bomb: The Key Facts
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Stratagem type | Offensive — Eagle |
| Code | Up, Right, Down, Down, Down (↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓) |
| Unlock | Level 15, 10,000 Requisition Slips |
| Call-in time | Instant (0 seconds) — the bomb drops immediately |
| Uses | 1 per rearm (2 with the Expanded Weapons Bay ship module) |
| Cooldown between uses | ~8 seconds |
| Projectile damage | 2,000 (standard + durable, after Update 6.3) |
| Explosion damage | 1,500 (after Update 6.3) |
| Explosion radius | ~25m AoE |
| Detonation | Impacts, then explodes ~1 second later |
Official source: Helldivers Wiki — Eagle 500kg Bomb — "Every Stratagem capable of damaging heavily armored enemies has had their damage increased to account for the increased health of heavier enemies. Projectile standard damage increased from 1,400 to 2,000... Explosion damage increased from 1,200 to 1,500. Explosion radius increased to match visuals better."
What the 500kg Bomb Can Destroy
The wiki's definitive list of one-bomb targets: Automaton Fabricators, Terminid Bug Holes, Detector Towers, inactive Stratagem Jammers, Mortar Emplacements, Enemy Bio-Processors, Illegal Broadcast Towers, Rogue Research Stations, Shrieker Nests and Spore Spewers. It also one-shots a parked Dropship on Sabotage Air Base missions, and against enemies it kills or severely damages every heavy in the game — Chargers, Bile Titans, Hulks, Factory Striders, and Harvesters (after shield removal) — when placed accurately. Switchblade's 2026 enemy guide ranks it the fastest single-tool clear on Bile Titans: a 500kg placed directly on the head.
Two important caveats:
- Damage falloff is steep. The 500kg is a precision tool, not a map-wide nuke. Enemies at the edge of the radius survive; only things near the impact point take the full hit. GameRant's guide is blunt about it: enemies need to be close to the center for the bomb to kill them.
- The impact itself does Hellpod-tier damage — meaning the bomb landing on a target already hurts, and the follow-up explosion finishes the job. This is why the bomb is "relatively safe" near friendlies: the danger zone is the blast, not the drop.
The Aiming Guide: Why Your 500kg Keeps Missing
This is the #1 complaint about the 500kg, and it's a mechanical quirk, not bad luck:
- Eagle strikes drop perpendicular to your throw direction — except the 500kg and the Strafing Run, which drop PARALLEL to it. If you throw perpendicular like you would for an Eagle Airstrike, the bomb lands somewhere completely different from where you aimed.
- Throw the beacon directly at your target, not in its path. Since the bomb flies parallel to the throw, throwing past the enemy makes the bomb land behind them.
- Expect the ~1 second post-impact delay. The bomb embeds, then detonates. Fast enemies can walk out of the radius — so throw it in front of a moving Charger or Titan, not at it, so the blast catches them as they advance into the impact point.
If you see the crater but nothing died, you were too far from the blast center. Treat the 500kg like a precision strike, not an orbital barrage: it has a ~25m radius and everything outside that takes near-zero damage. For crowd clearing, the Eagle Airstrike or Napalm is the better call.
When to Bring the 500kg (and When Not To)
Bring it when: you're fighting Automatons (Fabricators, Hulks, Factory Striders, Gunship fabricators), when your squad lacks anti-tank, on demolition-heavy mission types (Destroy Egg Nests, Sabotage Air Base), or when you're the designated "structure guy" in a coordinated team.
Leave it at home when: you already have two anti-tank support weapons, you're on a horde-heavy defense mission where you want Eagle Airstrike's multiple uses, or you're the team's dedicated crowd control — the 500kg's single use per rearm means one wasted throw is a long wait. The tier list ranks it S-tier as an anti-heavy/anti-structure tool, and the stratagem guide has the full Eagle rearm math (rearmer takes 2+ minutes, so a wasted bomb is expensive).
Ship Modules That Make It Better
- Expanded Weapons Bay (Hangar): +1 use per rearm — turns the 500kg from one bomb into two. The single biggest upgrade for this stratagem.
- Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit (Hangar): Eagle cooldown -50% — but per the wiki, it doesn't help the base 500kg until Expanded Weapons Bay is unlocked, because the base bomb only has 1 payload.
- Pit Crew Hazard Pay / Advanced Crew Training (Hangar): cut rearm time.
A 500kg used on a random patrol is a patrol you paid 10,000 Requisition Slips and a 2-minute rearm to kill. Save it for Fabricators, Titan-class enemies, or objective structures. The single-use economy is the entire skill of the weapon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the code for the Eagle 500kg Bomb?
Up, Right, Down, Down, Down (↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓) on PC (Ctrl+WASD) or the equivalent L1/D-Pad inputs on controller. It's one of the shortest codes in the game for one of the biggest results.
How do you unlock the 500kg Bomb in Helldivers 2?
Reach Level 15, then buy it for 10,000 Requisition Slips from the Patriotic Administration Center (Ship Management console) on your Super Destroyer.
How much damage does the 500kg Bomb do?
After Update 6.3: 2,000 projectile damage plus a 1,500-damage explosion in a ~25m radius. Pre-6.3 it was 1,400 + 1,200. In practice it one-shots most heavies and structures when the target is near the impact point.
Why does my 500kg Bomb keep missing?
Because it drops parallel to your throw (unlike most Eagle strikes, which drop perpendicular), it detonates ~1 second after impact, and its blast radius is smaller than the animation suggests. Throw it directly at stationary targets and ahead of moving ones.
Is the 500kg Bomb good against Bile Titans and Factory Striders?
Yes — it's one of the fastest single-tool clears for both. Drop it on the Bile Titan's head or the Factory Strider's torso/undercarriage, and it kills or severely damages them in one hit. Factory Striders often need a follow-up shot unless the placement is clean.
Related Guides
- Helldivers 2 Stratagems — Full List, Unlocks and Best Picks
- Helldivers 2 Tier List 2026 — Weapons, Armor & Stratagems
- Helldivers 2 Autocannon — AC-8 Stats, Loadouts & Tips
- Helldivers 2 Terminids — Full Enemy Guide & Weaknesses
- Helldivers 2 Enemies — Full Roster & Weaknesses
- Destiny 2 Dungeons Guide
Last updated: August 13, 2026.
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