• Uses low-resistance conductor (gold) bridgewire
• Uses internal spark gap to prevent conducting low voltage and current levels through bridgewire
• Uses several thousand-volt capacitor discharge firing system, which couples through internal spark gap
• Bridgewire vaporizes (explodes) to provide an impulse to directly initiate secondary explosives
• Eliminates the need for sensitive initiation materials and primary explosives
• Provides post-fire seal
• Major drawbacks are bulky, heavy power supplies, capacitors, switches and cables