Q&A: Cluster bombs

The UK is preparing to dispose of its arsenal of cluster bombs, according to sources. But why are the bombs among the most controversial weapons used in modern warfare?
A Mines Advisory Group technician inspects a cluster bomb unit in the Lebanese village of Ouazaiyeh
A Mines Advisory Group technician inspects a cluster bomb unit in the Lebanese village of Ouazaiyeh. Photograph: Mohammed Zaatari/AP

What are cluster bombs?

Cluster bombs consist of a single, large bomb unit that is either dropped from the air or fired by a launcher. The unit splits into many dozens of tiny, explosive "bomblets" that can spread over hundreds of square metres before reaching the ground. The bomblets, which are about the size of a soft drinks can, contain fragments of metal and are designed to detonate on impact.

What is their intended use?

Because they spread out over such a wide area cluster bombs are viewed as particularly effective against ground troops, although anti-tank variants and other types are also used.

Why are they so controversial?

Cluster bombs are indiscriminate in that they maim and kill people over a large area. Additionally, a small percentage of the bomblets – often estimated at around 7% to 10%, depending on the type – fail to detonate on hitting the ground. They can be accidentally triggered by civilians years later. The bomblets are often brightly coloured, making them attractive for children to pick up.

How many people are harmed?

The only organisation that has attempted to measure the numbers injured or killed by cluster bombs is Handicap International. In a 2006 report, based on research in 24 countries, it uncovered more than 11,000 confirmed casualties, of whom 98% were civilians. Extrapolated worldwide, the total casualty figure could be as high as 100,000, according to the charity.

Where have cluster bombs been used?

Handicap International has compiled a list of countries and regions affected by unexploded cluster bombs: Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia, Cambodia, Chad, Croatia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Montenegro, Western Sahara, Chechnya, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan and Vietnam.

Does the UK still use cluster weapons?

Yes. The British military continues to use them 10 years after it banned the use of landmines in 1998. The British army dropped 113,190 of two cluster bomb types in Iraq, according to Ministry of Defence figures, and 78,057 in Kosovo, according to Nato figures. In March 2007 the defence secretary, Des Browne, withdrew two "dumb" cluster munitions from service: the airdropped BL755 and the rocket-launched M26.

The MoD still uses the M85, an Israeli-made cluster bomb with a built-in self-destruct mechanism intended to prevent unexploded bomblets littering a landscape. The manufacturers claim a failure rate of just 0.06%, but critics say this is actually far higher when the bombs are used.

The UK also continues to use the helicopter-launched M73, which the MoD says does not count as a cluster bomb as it subdivides into just nine smaller devices. Opponents say the large number of bombs that can be fired at once means hundreds of bomblets can end up falling.

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