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A US B-1 Lancer releasing its payload of cluster bombs

Cluster munitions or cluster bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject a number of smaller submunitions ("bomblets"). The most common types are intended to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles. Submunition based weapons designed to destroy runways, electric power transmission lines, deliver chemical or biological weapons, or to scatter land mines have also been produced. Some submunition based weapons can disperse non-munition payloads, such as leaflets. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1250x1000, 605 KB)Source: http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1250x1000, 605 KB)Source: http://www. ... The B-1 Lancer is an American strategic bomber with variable geometry wings. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Power line redirects here. ... Dressing the wounded during a gas attack by Austin O. Spare, 1918. ... Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of any organism (bacteria, virus or other disease_causing organism) or toxin found in nature, as a weapon of war. ... “Minefield” redirects here. ...

Cluster bombs are the focus of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the text of which was agreed in May 2008 and will be open to ratifications in December 2008. The Government of Norway initiated, in February 2007, the Oslo Process, to develop an international treaty to prohibit cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, which resulted in this treaty. The general rules of international humanitarian law aimed at protecting civilians apply as they do to the use of all other weapons. For other uses, see February (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the law of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus comprised of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law. ...

Development

The first cluster bomb used operationally was the German SD-2 or Sprengbombe Dickwandig 2 kg, commonly referred to as the Butterfly Bomb. It was used during the Second World War to attack both civilian and military targets. The technology was developed independently by the United States of America, Russia and Italy (see Thermos Bomb). Cluster bombs are now standard air-dropped munitions for many nations, in a wide variety of types. Currently produced by 34 countries and used by at least 23.^[1] A Butterfly Bomb, or (Spreng Dickwändig 2 kg or SD2) was a German 2 kilogram anti-personnel bomb dropped by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... For the hand grenade thermos bomb, see No 73 Grenade Thermos Bomb was the informal name for the AR-4, an anti-personnel bomb dropped by the Italian Air Force during the Second World War. ...

Artillery shells that employ similar principles have existed for decades. They are typically referred to as ICM (Improved Conventional Munitions) shells. The US military slang terms for them are "firecracker" or "popcorn" shells, for the many small explosions they cause in the target area. For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ...

Types of cluster bombs

A US Vietnam era BLU-3 cluster bomblet.

A basic cluster bomb is a hollow shell (generally streamlined if intended for carriage by fast aircraft) containing from three to more than 2,000 submunitions. Some types are dispensers that are designed to be retained by the aircraft after releasing their munitions. The submunitions themselves may be fitted with small parachute retarders or streamers to slow their descent (allowing the aircraft to escape the blast area in low-altitude attacks). Image File history File linksMetadata BLU-3_Pineapple_Cluster_bomblet. ... Image File history File linksMetadata BLU-3_Pineapple_Cluster_bomblet. ... Solid blue lines and broken grey lines represent the streamlines. ... This article is about the device. ... A model rocket launching Model rocketry is a hobby similar to building model airplanes, where rocket-shaped models are flown vertically and recovered by a variety of means (see Recovery below). ...

Modern cluster bombs and submunition dispensers are often multiple-purpose weapons, containing mixtures of anti-armor, anti-personnel, and anti-materiel munitions. The submunitions themselves may also be multi-purpose, such as combining a shaped charge, to attack armour, with a fragmenting case, to attack infantry, materiel, and light vehicles. Modern multipurpose munitions may have an incendiary effect.

A growing trend in the design of submunition-based weapons is the smart submunition, which uses guidance circuitry to locate and attack particular targets, usually armored vehicles. Recent weapons of this type include the U.S. CBU-97 sensor-fused weapon, first used in combat during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Munitions specifically intended for anti-tank use may be set to self-destruct if they reach the ground without locating a target, theoretically reducing the risk of unintended civilian deaths and injuries. One limitation of the smart submunition is cost: such weapons are many times more expensive than standard cluster bombs, which are cheaper and simpler to manufacture. In military science, smart weapons refers to munitions equipped with guidance technology that actively seeks a target with little or no direction from a remote controller after the munitions are launched. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Missile. ... CBU-97 Developed and produced by Textron Defense Systems the CBU-97 is a United States Air Force 1,000 pound (450 kg) class non-guided (freefall) cluster bomb, hence the name CBU (Cluster Bomb Unit). ... A sensor-fuzed weapon (SFW, also sensor fuze weapon) is a cluster bomb design that uses smart submunitions (bomblets or bomblet containers) including sensors and a small guidance system to aim at targets on the ground and detonate nearby. ... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ...

Incendiary

During the Winter War of 1939–1940, the Soviet Union dropped Molotov bread baskets, which scattered incendiary bomblets, on Finland

Incendiary cluster bombs are intended to start fires, just as conventional incendiary bombs (also called firebombs). They are specifically designed for this purpose, with submunitions of white phosphorus or napalm, and they often include anti-personnel and anti-tank submunitions to hamper firefighting efforts. When used in cities they have often been preceded by the use of conventional explosive bombs to break open the roofs and walls of buildings to expose flammable contents to the incendiaries. One of the earliest examples is the so-called Molotov bread basket first used by the Soviet Union in the Winter War of 1939-40. This type of munition was extensively used by both sides in the strategic bombings of World War II. Bombs of this type were used to start firestorms in cases such as the bombing of Dresden in World War II and the firebombing of Tokyo. Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov Semyon Timoshenko Strength 250,000 men 30 tanks 130 aircraft[1][2] 1,000,000 men 6,541 tanks [3] 3,800 aircraft[4][5] Casualties 26,662 dead 39,886 wounded 1,000 captured[6] 126,875 dead... The Molotov bread basket from where the bombs spreaded Molotov bread basket is the Finnish name for a Soviet bomb that combined a large high explosive charge with a cluster of incendiary bombs. ... Incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, or white phosphorus. ... Molotov cocktail is the generic name for a variety of crude incendiary weapons. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... A simulated Napalm explosion during MCAS Air Show in 2003. ... The Molotov bread basket from where the bombs spreaded Molotov bread basket is the Finnish name for a Soviet bomb that combined a large high explosive charge with a cluster of incendiary bombs. ... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov Semyon Timoshenko Strength 250,000 men 30 tanks 130 aircraft[1][2] 1,000,000 men 6,541 tanks [3] 3,800 aircraft[4][5] Casualties 26,662 dead 39,886 wounded 1,000 captured[6] 126,875 dead... Strategic bombing during World War II was greater in scale than any wartime attack the world had previously witnessed. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The bombing of Dresden, led by Royal Air Force (RAF) and followed by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) between February 13 and February 15, 1945, remains one of the more controversial Allied actions of World War II. The exact number of casualties is uncertain, but most historians agree... During World War II the strategic bombing of targets without direct military value became a common policy. ...

Anti-personnel

Anti-personnel cluster bombs use explosive fragmentation to kill troops and destroy soft (unarmored) targets. Along with incendiary cluster bombs, these were among the first forms of cluster bombs produced by Germany during World War II. They were famously used during the Blitz with delay and booby-trap fusing to prevent firefighting and other damage control efforts in the bombed areas. They were also used with a contact fuse when attacking entrenchments. These weapons were most widely used during the Vietnam War when millions of tons^{[citation needed]} of submunitions were dropped on Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ...

Anti-tank

Most anti-armor munitions contain shaped charge warheads to pierce the armor of tanks and armored fighting vehicles. In some cases, guidance is used to increase the likelihood of successfully hitting a vehicle. Modern guided submunitions, such as those found in the U.S. CBU-97 can use either a shaped charge warhead or an explosively formed penetrator. Unguided shaped-charge submunitions are designed to be effective against entrenchments that incorporate overhead cover. To simplify supply and increase battlefield effectiveness by allowing a single type of round to be used against nearly any target, submunitions that incorporate both fragmentation and shaped-charge effects are produced. In United States Army and Marine Corps Field Artillery units, this is a common type of shell used in ground warfare. Sectioned HEAT round with the inner shaped charge visible 1:Aerodynamic cover 2: Empty room 3: Conical liner 4: Detonator 5: Explosive 6: Piezo-electric sensor A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosives energy. ... A B61 nuclear bomb in various stages of assembly; the nuclear warhead is the bullet-shaped silver cannister in the middle-left of the photograph. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, equipped with protection against hostile attacks and often mounted weapons. ... CBU-97 Developed and produced by Textron Defense Systems the CBU-97 is a United States Air Force 1,000 pound (450 kg) class non-guided (freefall) cluster bomb, hence the name CBU (Cluster Bomb Unit). ... An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile, a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is a special type of shaped charge designed to penetrate armour effectively at stand-off distances. ... The United States Army is the largest, and by some standards oldest, established branch of the armed forces of the United States and is one of seven uniformed services. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ... Union Army gun squad at drill, c. ...

Anti-runway

Anti-runway submunitions such as the British JP233 are designed to penetrate concrete before detonating, allowing them to shatter and crater runway surfaces. In the case of the JP233, the cratering effect is achieved through the use of a two-stage warhead that combines a shaped charge and conventional explosive. The shaped charge creates a small crater inside which the conventional explosive detonates to enlarge it. Anti-runway submunitions are usually used along with anti-personnel submunitions equipped with delay or booby-trap fuses that act as anti-personnel mines to make repair more difficult. The JP233 was a British submunition delivery system consisting of a pair of large pods carrying several hundred submunitions designed to attack runways. ... This article is about the construction material. ... Italian Valmara 69 bounding type of Anti-personnel. ...

Mine-laying

When submunition-based weapons are used to disperse mines, their submunitions do not detonate immediately, but behave like conventional land mines that detonate later. The submunitions usually include a combination of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Since such mines usually lie on exposed surfaces, the anti-personnel forms, such as the US Area Denial Artillery Munition normally deploy tripwires automatically after landing to make clearing the minefield more difficult. In order to avoid rendering large portions of the battlefield permanently impassable, and to minimize the amount of mine-clearing needed after a conflict, scatterable mines used by the United States are designed to self-destruct after a period of time from 4-48 hours. The internationally agreed definition of cluster munitions being negotiated in the Oslo Process may not include this type of weapon, since landmines are already covered in other specific international instruments. A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... Italian Valmara 69 bounding type of Anti-personnel. ... An Anti-tank mine, or AT mine is similar to a Landmine except generally designed with a less sensitive trigger and more explosive power so as to be able to take out an armored vehicle, and not go off until such a vehicle comes along. ... Area Denial Artillery Munition (ADAM) is a family of US land mines and 155 mm artillery projectiles. ...

U.S. Honest John missile warhead cutaway, showing M139 Sarin bomblets (photo circa 1960)

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x824, 115 KB) Summary 191. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x824, 115 KB) Summary 191. ... An Honest John rocket on truck. ... For other uses, see Sarin (disambiguation). ...

Chemical weapons

During the 1950s and 1960s, the United States and Soviet Union developed cluster weapons designed to deliver chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 banned their use. Six nations declared themselves in possession of chemical weapons. The US and Russia are in the process of destroying their stockpiles, although they have received extensions for the full destruction. Dressing the wounded during a gas attack by Austin O. Spare, 1918. ... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 in Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preparatory Commission Parties 181 (as of Oct. ...

Anti-electrical

An anti-electrical cluster weapon. the CBU-94/B, was first used by the U.S. in the Kosovo War in 1999. These consist of a TMD (Tactical Munitions Dispenser) filled with 202 BLU-114/B submunitions. Each submunition contains a small explosive charge that disperses 147 reels of fine conductive fiber, either carbon fiber or aluminum-coated glass fiber. Their purpose is to disrupt and damage electric power transmission systems by producing short circuits in high-voltage power lines and electrical substations. On the first attack, these knocked out 70% of the electrical power supply in Serbia. There are reports that it took 500 people 15 hours to get one transformer yard back on line after being hit with the conductive fibers. The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Power line redirects here. ... For alternate meanings see Short circuit (disambiguation) A short circuit (sometimes known as simply a short) is a fault whereby electricity moves through a circuit in an unintended path, usually due to a connection forming where none was expected. ... A 115 kV to 41. ... Anthem:  Serbia() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, Rusyn 1 Albanian 2 Demonym Serbian Government Parliamentary Democracy  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica    -  First state 7th century   -  Serbian Kingdom3 1217   -  Serbian Empire 1345   -  Independence lost...

Leaflet dispensing

A U.S. serviceman loading a cluster munition with 22,500 Korean language leaflets in 1950 for use as psychological warfare during the Korean War

The LBU-30 is designed for dropping large quantities of leaflets from aircraft operating at altitude. (Dispensing leaflets from the air is a common propaganda tactic in wartime.) Enclosing the leaflets within the bomblets ensures that the leaflets will fall on the intended area without being dispersed excessively by the wind. The LBU-30 consists of SUU-30 cluster munition dispensers that have been adapted to leaflet dispersal. The dispensers are essentially recycled units from old bombs. The LBU-30 was tested at Eglin Air Force Base in 2000, by an F-16 flying at 20,000 feet.^[2] Download high resolution version (595x765, 79 KB) Photo #: NH 97050 Korean War Psychological Warfare SFC Furl A. Krebs loads an M16M1 cluster adapter at the FEC {Far Eastern Command} Printing Plant, Yokohama, Japan. ... Download high resolution version (595x765, 79 KB) Photo #: NH 97050 Korean War Psychological Warfare SFC Furl A. Krebs loads an M16M1 cluster adapter at the FEC {Far Eastern Command} Printing Plant, Yokohama, Japan. ... This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language. ... The U.S. Department of Defense defines psychological warfare (PSYWAR) as: The planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile foreign groups in such a way as to support the achievement of national objectives. ... Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... For other uses, see Propaganda (disambiguation). ... Polish soldiers reading a German leaflet during the Warsaw Uprising A pamphlet is an unbound booklet (that is, without a hard cover or binding). ... Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the United States Air Force 96th Air Base Wing of the Air Force Materiel Command, and is also headquarters for more than 45 associate units. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force. ...

Threat to civilians

While all weapons are potentially dangerous to civilians, cluster bombs pose a particular threat to civilians for two reasons: they have a wide area of effect, and they have consistently left behind a large number of unexploded bomblets.^{[citation needed]} The unexploded bomblets remain dangerous for decades after the end of a conflict.

Cluster munitions are opposed by many individuals and hundreds of groups, such as the Red Cross,^[3] the Cluster Munition Coalition and the United Nations, because of the high number of civilians that have fallen victim to the weapon. Since February 2005, Handicap International called for cluster munitions to be prohibited and collected hundreds of thousands of signatures to support its call.^[4] 98% of 13,306 recorded cluster munitions casualties that are registered with Handicap International are civilians; however they also note releasing the report "Despite a general lack of information on casualties both during and after strikes..."[1] The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The CMC is an international civil society movement committed to stopping cluster munitions, a weapon type that has killed large numbers of civilians, that frequently has indiscriminate effects and that is stockpiled in the billions by over 70 countries. ... UN redirects here. ... Handicap International is a non-governmental organization created in 1982 to provide help in refugee camps in Cambodia and Thailand. ...

The area affected by a single cluster munition, known as its footprint, can be as large as two or three American football fields ^[5]. A single unguided M26 MLRS rocket can effectively cover an area of 0.23 km²[2]. In US and most allied services, the M26 has been replaced by the M30 guided missile fired from the MLRS. The M30 has greater range and accuracy but a smaller area of coverage. It is worth noting that for reasons including both danger to civilians and changing tactical requirements, the non-cluster unitary warhead XM31 missile is, in many cases, replacing even the M30. A Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is a form of rocket artillery that can be reused. ... A Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is a form of rocket artillery that can be reused. ...

Israel made extensive use of M26 rockets in the 2006 Lebanon War. Belligerents Hezbollah Amal[1] LCP[2] PFLP-GC[3] Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah Imad Mughniyeh Dan Halutz Moshe Kaplinsky[4] Udi Adam Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[5] Up to 10,000 ground troops. ...

Because of the weapon's broad area of effect, they have often been documented as striking both civilian and military objects in the target area. This characteristic of the weapon is particularly problematic for civilians when cluster munitions are used in or near populated areas and has been documented by research reports from groups such as Human Rights Watch,^[6] Landmine Action, Mines Action Canada and Handicap International. In some cases, like the Zagreb rocket attack, civilians were deliberately targeted by such weapons. ^[7] Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... The Zagreb rocket attack was a war crime conducted by Serb armed forces that fired ground-to-ground missiles on the Croatian capital of Zagreb. ...

One of the worst incidents involving civilian deaths and the use of cluster bombs was the 1999 NATO Cluster bombing of Niš. This article is about the military alliance. ... The Cluster bombing of NiÅ¡ was an event that occurred on May 7, 1999 during the Kosovo War. ...

Unexploded ordnance

The other serious problem is unexploded ordnance (UXO) of cluster bomblets left behind after a strike. These bomblets may be duds or in some cases the weapons are designed to detonate at a later stage. In both cases, the surviving bomblets are live and can explode when handled, making them a serious threat to civilians and military personnel entering the area. In effect, the UXOs can function like land mines. UXO redirects here. ... Look up dud, duds in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ...

Even with cluster bombs that are designed to fully explode, there are always some individual submunitions that do not explode on impact. The US-made MLRS with M26 warhead and M77 submunitions are supposed to have a 5% dud rate but studies have shown that some have a much higher rate.^[8] The rate in acceptance tests prior to the Gulf War for this type ranged from 2% to a high of 23% for rockets cooled to -25°F before testing.^[9] The M483A1 DPICM artillery-delivered cluster bombs have a reported dud rate of 14% ^[10]. M26 is the basic MLRS rocket. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... A Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) is an artillery or surface-to-surface missile warhead designed to burst into sub-munitions at an optimum altitude and distance from the desired target for dense area coverage. ... A Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) is an artillery or surface-to-surface missile warhead designed to burst into sub-munitions at an optimum altitude and distance from the desired target for dense area coverage. ...

Given that each cluster bomb contains hundreds of bomblets and are fired in volleys, even a small failure rate can lead each strike to leave behind hundreds or thousands of UXOs scattered randomly across the strike area. For example, after the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, UN experts have estimated that as many as one million unexploded bomblets may contaminate the hundreds of cluster munition strike sites in Lebanon.^[11] Hezbollah also used a much smaller number of bomblet-dispersing rockets in its shelling of northern Israel. ^[12] Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP  Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing)[5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[12] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC)[13... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ...

In addition, some cluster bomblets, such as the BLU-97/B used in the CBU-87, are brightly colored to increase their visibility and warn off civilians. However, the color, coupled with their small and nonthreatening appearance, has caused children to interpret them as toys. This problem was exacerbated in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), when US forces dropped humanitarian rations from airplanes with similar yellow-colored packaging as the BLU-97/B. The rations packaging was later changed first to blue and then to clear in the hope of avoiding such hazardous confusion. The BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bomb is the submunition used in several cluster bomb type weapon systems. ... CBU-87 The CBU-87 combined effect munitions cluster bomb is a bomb used by the United States Air force. ... For other uses of War in Afghanistan, see War in Afghanistan. ...

The US military is developing new cluster bombs that it claims could have a much lower (less than 1%) dud rate.^[13] However, in the past, manufacturers' claims about new cluster munitions have proven unreliable and the same problems with unexploded ordnance have persisted. Previous claims for example about the reliability of the CBU-87 with BLU-97 submunitions were not borne out by reality in Afghanistan and Kosovo.^[14] Sensor-fused weapons that contain a limited number of submunitions that are capable of autonomously engaging armored targets may provide a viable, if costly, alternative to cluster munitions that will allow multiple target engagement with one shell or bomb while avoiding the civilian deaths and injuries consistently documented from the use of cluster munitions.

On 20 March 2007 the United Kingdom announced the withdrawal of 'dumb' cluster munitions, but retaining cluster munitions which have self-destruct mechanisms reducing the risk to civilians.^[15] is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Civilian deaths from unexploded cluster bomblets

• In Vietnam, people are still being killed as a result of cluster bombs and other objects left by the US and South Vietnamese military forces. Estimates range up to 300 people are killed every year by unexploded ordinances.^[16]
• In post-war Kosovo unexploded cluster bomblets caused more civilian deaths than landmines.^[17]
• It is claimed that at least 18 civilians have been killed and 136 wounded in Lebanon by unexploded bomblets since the August 14, 2006 ceasefire in the 2006 Lebanon War.^[18] In August 2006, the UN's Mine Action Coordination Center in Tyre, Lebanon, raised an alarm over the post-conflict impact on returning civilians of unexploded cluster bombs allegedly used by Israel against Hezbollah occupied village staging areas.^[19] Israel immediately after the cease-fire gave the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) maps indicating the likely locations of unexploded ordnance, to aid the international attempt to clear these areas and avoid injury to the population. However, these maps only showed the general location of unexploded ordnance and were not useful for systematic clearance of areas contaminated by cluster munitions. Immediately after the ceasefire, Israel distributed warning notices to the residents in the areas of warfare, and recommended that they wait a few days before returning to the south until the UNIFIL forces cleared the area of unexploded ordnance. Clearance experts have estimated that it will take 12-18 months to remove the immediate threat from unexploded ordnance from southern Lebanon.^{[citation needed]}

For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Belligerents Hezbollah Amal[1] LCP[2] PFLP-GC[3] Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah Imad Mughniyeh Dan Halutz Moshe Kaplinsky[4] Udi Adam Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[5] Up to 10,000 ground troops. ... A Mine Action Coordination Centre is an agency established in a region under the auspices of the United Nations to coordinate the clearing of mines. ... Tyre (Arabic , Phoenician , Hebrew Tzor, Tiberian Hebrew , Akkadian , Greek Týros) is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ... A Sisu XA-180 used by Swedish UNIFIL forces in Lebanon The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on March 19, 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and...

Areas with significant unexploded cluster bomb submunitions

• Nagorno Karabakh
• Lebanon
• Indochina, especially in Laos and central Vietnam's former demilitarized zone.
• Kosovo
• Afghanistan
• Iraq
• Western Sahara

Countries that have been affected by cluster munitions include: Anthem Azat ou Ankakh Artsakh Free and Independent Artsakh Capital Stepanakert (Khankendi) Official languages Armenian1 Government Unrecognized  -  President Bako Sahakian [1]  -  Prime Minister Anushavan Danielyan Independence from Azerbaijan   -  Referendum December 10, 1991   -  Proclaimed January 6, 1992   -  Recognition none2  Area  -  Total 4,400 km²  1,699 sq mi  Population  -  March 2007... Indochina 1886 Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. ... The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the First Indochina War. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ...

International legislation

Although cluster bombs fall under the general rules of international humanitarian law, they are not specifically covered by any currently binding international legal instrument. An initiative by the Government of Norway launched the international Oslo Process in February 2007 to prohibit cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians, which resulted in over 100 countries agreeing to the text of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in May 2008. The Oslo Process was launched largely in response to the failure of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), as the past five years of discussions have failed to find an adequate response to these weapons. The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is campaigning for a comprehensive ban on cluster munitions based on essential Treaty Principles.^[20] International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the law of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus comprised of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law. ... The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980 and entered into force in December 1983, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or that have indiscriminate effects. ...

However, a number of sections of the Protocol on explosive remnants of war (Protocol V to the 1980 Convention), 28 November 2003 ^[21] occasionally address the use of cluster munitions, in particular Article 9, which mandates States Parties to "take generic preventive measures aimed at minimising the occurrence of explosive remnants of war". In June 2006, Belgium was the first country to issue a ban on the use (carrying), transportation, export, stockpiling, trade and production of cluster munitions,^[22] and Austria followed suit on 2007-12-07.^[23] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980 and entered into force in December 1983, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or that have indiscriminate effects. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

There has been parliamentary activity on cluster munitions in several countries, including Austria, Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. In some of these countries, there are ongoing discussions concerning draft legislation banning cluster munitions, along the lines of the legislation adopted in Belgium. Norway has also committed itself to an international ban on cluster munitions and recently announced a moratorium on the weapon, as did Hungary. Austria has also committed itself to an international, legally binding instrument on cluster munitions, after the Parliament passed a resolution on cluster munitions in July. On December 5, 2006, Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison introduced a private bill, titled the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill 2006, to prohibit Australia's use, manufacture and possession of cluster munitions. This bill is not supported by the Australian Government and as a result is unlikely to be passed by Parliament. Moreover, the Australian Defence Force does not currently possess stocks of cluster munitions. In a move similar to Australia there have also been two private members bills introduced into the United Kingdom's parliament, one in the Lords, the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill, and another in the Commons, the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition of Development and Acquisition) Bill. However, as in Australia these do not have the support of the government, despite the Lords bill passing though committee unopposed, and therefore seem unlikely to become law. is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lynette Fay Lyn Allison (born 21 October 1946), Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Victoria since July 1996. ... The Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill 2006 is a bill for an act to ensure that civilians in conflict zones are not maimed, killed or put at risk as a result of Australians possessing, using or manufacturing cluster munitions. ... The Commonwealth of Australia is a federative constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. ... The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. ...

International treaties

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Other weapons, such as land mines, have been banned in many countries under specific legal instruments for several years, notably the Ottawa Treaty and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Cluster bombs, however, are not banned by any international treaty and are considered legitimate weapons by some governments. International governmental deliberations in the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons still turn on the broader problem of explosive remnants of war, a problem to which cluster munitions have contributed in a significant way. However, despite calls from humanitarian organizations and approximately 30 governments, international governmental negotiations to develop specific measures that would address the humanitarian problems cluster munitions pose have not proven possible in the conventional multilateral forum. A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... For the 1932 tariff treaty of British colonies and dominions, see British Empire Economic Conference. ... The United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), concluded at Geneva on October 10, 1980 and entered into force in December 1983, seeks to prohibit or restrict the use of certain conventional weapons which are considered excessively injurious or that have indiscriminate effects. ...

Against this background, a new flexible multilateral process similar to the process that led to the ban on anti-personnel land mines in 1997 (the Ottawa Treaty) began with an announcement in November 2006^[24] in Geneva as well at the same time by the Government of Norway that it would convene an international meeting in early 2007 in Oslo to work towards a new treaty prohibiting cluster munitions. This announcement followed Belgium's decision to ban the weapon in February 2006, Austria's decision to work for an international instrument on the weapon and the international controversy over the use and impact of cluster munitions during the war between Hezbollah and Israel in July and August 2006. 49 governments attended the meeting in Oslo February 22-23, 2007 in order to reaffirm their commitment to a new international ban on the weapon. During the meeting Austria announced an immediate moratorium on the use, production and transfer of cluster munitions until a new international treaty banning the weapons is in place. A follow-up meeting in this process was held in Lima in May where around 70 states discussed the outline of a new treaty, Hungary became the latest country to announce a moratorium and Peru launched an initiative to make Latin America a cluster munition free zone.^[25] Further meetings took place in Vienna from December 4-7, in Wellington from 18-22 February and in Dublin in May 2008^[26].^[27] In addition, the ICRC held an experts meeting on cluster munitions in April 2007 which helped clarify technical, legal, military and humanitarian aspects of the weapon with a view to developing an international response.^[28] For the 1932 tariff treaty of British colonies and dominions, see British Empire Economic Conference. ... For other uses, see Lima (disambiguation). ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ...

Oslo process participants

As of 2 November 2007, the 84 states participating in the Oslo process include:^[29] is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea Bissau, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lao PDR, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Montenegro, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen and Zambia.

See also

• Cluster Munition Coalition
• Bomb disposal
• Demining
• Clear Path International
• List of Cluster Bombs

The CMC is an international civil society movement committed to stopping cluster munitions, a weapon type that has killed large numbers of civilians, that frequently has indiscriminate effects and that is stockpiled in the billions by over 70 countries. ... The Long Walk - A British Army ATO approaches a suspect device in Northern Ireland. ... Hydrema mine clearing vehicle MineWolf tiller-based demining machine deployed in Sudan Digger Mini Flail for Mine Clearance Demining is the process of removing landmines or naval mines from an area. ... Clear Path International (CPI) is a non-profit organization based in the United States. ...

References

PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• An International Treaty to Ban Cluster Munitions: Is There a Strategy for Responsible U.S. Engagement? Connect U.S. Fund April 2008

Wikinews has related news:

African nations gather to support a ban on cluster bombs

• Cluster munitions and international humanitarian lawInternational Committee of the Red Cross
• Cluster Munition Coalition
• Cluster Munitions Process - Official website serving the government initiative to ban cluster munitions
• Clear Path International
• Global Security.org LBU-30
• Circle of Impact: The Fatal Footprint of Cluster Munitions on People and Communities 16 May 2007
• Disarmament Insight website
• Council on Foreign Relations: The Campaign to Ban Cluster Bombs November 21, 2006
• Landmark cluster bomb ban agreed by 111 countries Yahoo! News May 28, 2008

Technical

• Federation of American Scientists article on the CBU97 and CBU105 cluster bombs with smart munitions.
• Federation of American Scientists article on the BLU-114 anti-electrical weapon.

Inquiries

• Inquiry by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee of the Australian Senate into the provisions of the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill 2006