Analysis: What is cluster munition that US plans to deliver to Ukraine.

According to information released by several U.S. newspapers, on July 6, 2023, the US administration planned to supply Ukraine with artillery 155mm cluster munitions. An official announcement is anticipated on Friday, revealing that the Pentagon will send thousands of these munitions as part of a new military aid package worth up to $800 million.
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Artillery 155mm cluster munition can be fired from US M777 towed howitzer and Western self-propelled howitzers in service with the Ukrainian army.  (Picture source US Dod)

The use of such munitions has stirred controversy due to concerns about the potential harm they may cause to civilians, given the presence of unexploded submunitions scattered over a wide area. To address these concerns, the Pentagon intends to provide Kyiv with cluster bombs that have a lower "dud rate". This adjustment will result in significantly fewer unexploded rounds, thereby minimizing the risk of unintentional harm to civilians. Nonetheless, this decision is expected to generate discussions, as elaborated in this analysis.

Cluster munitions, also referred to as cluster bombs, are weaponry engineered to release numerous smaller submunitions or bomblets over a wide expanse. These munitions serve the purpose of covering a large zone and causing harm to personnel, vehicles or accomplishing other objectives like infrastructure destruction or dispersal of various substances.

Cluster munitions can be deployed through aerial drops or ground-based launches. They disintegrate in midair, scattering the submunitions across a broader area, thereby enhancing the likelihood of hitting multiple targets within the designated zone. The submunition can be detonated upon impact or triggered by a timer mechanism. Various delivery platforms are employed for cluster munitions, including aircraft, artillery, bombs, or missiles.

Diverse types of cluster munitions exist. Anti-personnel cluster bombs utilize explosive fragmentation to target troops and soft targets. Anti-tank cluster munitions employ shaped charge warheads to penetrate armored vehicles. Incendiary cluster bombs are designed to initiate fires, while mine-laying cluster munitions function similarly to conventional land mines.

However, it is important to note that cluster munitions designed for the delivery of chemical weapons have been prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention. Additionally, there exist cluster munitions that disrupt power transmission systems or are employed for disseminating propaganda leaflets.

Cluster bombs faced criticism and concern due to their potential harm to civilians, for several reasons. Firstly, many of the bomblets they release upon impact fail to detonate immediately, creating a long-term risk to civilians, as unexploded ordnance from cluster bombs can kill or maim people years or even decades after they were initially deployed. Furthermore, the use of cluster bombs in populated areas is seen as a violation of international humanitarian law by human rights groups, as they cause indiscriminate destruction.

The use of cluster munitions is internationally regulated. Over 100 countries have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, committing to refrain from producing, using, transferring, or stockpiling these weapons. However, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are not among the signatories. It is worth noting that since the convention's adoption, a significant portion of global cluster munition stockpiles has been destroyed.

Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, accusations have been leveled against Russia for allegedly utilizing cluster munitions in residential areas of Ukraine. Despite Russia's denial and insistence on exclusively targeting military installations with precision weaponry, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, along with independent weapons experts, Ukrainian prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, international organizations, and NGOs, has reported numerous instances of the Russian military purportedly deploying cluster weapons on non-military targets. This includes 16 documented cases during the initial month of the 2022 conflict. Various forms of evidence, such as eyewitness testimonies, photographs, videos, and identified remnants of cluster munitions, have been presented to support these allegations.

According to the Cluster Munition Monitor 2022, Russia has used at least six identified types of cluster munitions during the invasion of Ukraine: 220mm 9M27K-series Uragan, 300mm 9M55K-series Smerch, 300mm 9M54-series "Tornado-S" cluster munition guided missiles, 9M79-series Tochka ballistic missiles, a variant of the Iskander-M 9M723 ballistic missile specifically designed for cluster munitions and the RBK-500 PTAB-1M cluster bombs. According to the same report, Ukrainian forces appear to have used cluster munitions, including Uragan cluster munition rockets, in at least three locations that were under the control of Russia’s armed forces in March 2022.

The 220mm 9M27K-series Uragan ("Hurricane") rocket can be launched up to a distance of 10-35km and dispense 30 submunitions of either 9N235 or 9N210 fragmentation type. The 300mm 9M55K-series Smerch ("Tornado") rocket have a longer range of 20-70km and can deliver 72 submunitions of 9N235 or 9N210 fragmentation type. The 300mm 9M54-series "Tornado-S" guided missile is capable of deploying either 552 3B30 dual-purpose submunitions (9M544 model) or 72 antipersonnel submunitions (9M549 model). The 9M79-series Tochka ballistic missile is armed with a 9N123K warhead that contains 50 9N24 fragmentation submunitions. The cluster munition variant of the Iskander-M 9M723 ballistic missile, likely the Iskander-E downgraded export version, is equipped with a warhead capable of deploying cluster munitions. Lastly, the RBK-500 PTAB-1M cluster bomb house 268 PTAB-1M high explosive antitank submunitions.

The proposed cluster munitions planned by the United States for Ukraine may consist of one of two main variants in the US inventory : the M483 or the longer-range M864. These cluster munitions are 155-millimeter artillery shells containing dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (D.P.I.C.M.s). Designed to open in midair, they release grenades capable of engaging both armored vehicles and dismounted troops. These 155mm howitzer shells can carry a total of 88 dual-purpose grenades. These grenades, strategically positioned within the shell, include 64 M42 grenades and 24 M46 grenades. The M42 grenades, located at the front, offer enhanced fragmentation, while the M46 grenades at the base contribute to the projectile's effectiveness. Upon expulsion from the shell during flight, the grenades arm while descending and function upon impact. The specific version to be provided to Ukraine is currently undetermined.

On October 17, 2020, it was confirmed that Ukrainians had also received and utilized ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles from the United States. The ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) family includes multiple variants armed with submunitions: the MGM-140A, known as the earliest version with a range of 165 km and equipped with 950 M-74 submunitions; the MGM-140B/ATACMS Block IA, which extends the range to 300 km and carries a warhead containing 300 submunitions; the MGM-164A/ATACMS Block II, equipped with 13 anti-tank guided P31 BAT submunitions and having a range of 140 km; and the MGM-164B/ATACMS Block IIA, featuring 6 guided P31 BAT submunitions and a 300 km range.

The supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine could potentially assist Ukrainian forces in their counteroffensive against Russian troops, who have prepared defensive lines. However, the use of cluster munitions poses risks to Ukrainian forces as well, as unexploded munitions from previous deployments could endanger their operations.