Cluster Bomb Munitions

I know, a bit off topic of disasters, but as I’ve shared before, I’m following the Ukraine war closely.

This past week, the proposed use of cluster munitions that can be dropped from planes or fired from artillery has been in the news. The White House announced its intention to provide these weapons from our national stockpile to Ukraine.

While the Russians have used them already in this war, Ukraine has not had them available.

It would appear that these are the right tool for the job that needs to be done, attacking troops in extensive trench systems.

I first learned of these weapons back in the 1970s, so they have been around for over 50 years. They are deadly to people, vehicles and equipment. They are very deadly. Yes, they do have a large “dud rate,” meaning unexploded ordinance left behind on the battlefield after the war is over.

I actually ran a training range many years ago at Fort McCoy, Wis. There was an artillery unit doing live fire training and they had a “direct fire” drill and by mistake fired a cluster round in direct fire mode — we were collecting bomblets for months after that incident. That is how I got a very practical experience on the deadly aspect of the grenade-sized munition.