>research cluster bombs because why not
>look at Vietnam
>"of the 260 million cluster munitions dropped, 80 million failed to explode"
how do 30% of the bomblets fail to go off?
were the manufacturers just lazy as shit? this is some Chinese level crap
>According to the Guardian
We were already bankrupt anon
Cluster munitions are meant to be quantity, not quality. Even then the sheer number of them will have failures regardless. This is the reason they are viewed as a “war crime”. It litters the area with unexploded ordnance.
>they are viewed as a “war crime”
according to which war crime convention?
Convention on Cluster Munitions
>USA
>State Not Party
Never said it was universal. You just asked which convention declares it a war crime.
But Obama got rid of all of our DPICM anyways, by presidential fiat.
they're a pain for EOD as well
also, cluster munitions are a 70s-era cope for inaccurate bombs. it's simply an evolution of WW2 bombing, a highly efficient bomb that spreads HE instead of relying on blast but doesn't address the inherent problem which is inaccuracy
that's no longer a problem now that we have precision guided munitions, which are vastly more efficient
it's like the difference between spray-and-pray, and a sharpshooter
>hey man it's time for multi-ord training
>your problem is 50-60 yellow painted monster cans scattered across this windy field of tall grass
>have fun and you will be failed for not irl readjusting your safe area every single time or ceasing operations for wind conditions
>no, you aren't allow to bip, rsp on all items if pubs has one
>no, nobody smuds in real life
>now go get your spotting scope, clock is ticking
No. What happened was they retracted it from service in all joint operations with partner forces who are party to the convention in order to preempt any political problems. They also realigned submunitions towards smart systems for more efficient effects on target, and reduce dangerous duds. Into Iraq, there were numerous cases of US engineers and other units injured while trying to clean up duds. The future of submissions is more along the lines of 155mm BONUS and BLU-108s than it is the older systems.
>how do 30% of the bomblets fail to go off?
Mass producing something cheap where it's vital it doesn't go odd early but it doesn't really matter if it doesn't go off at all.
Out of curiosity, I've decided to look at the source and actually there's no source. They just wrote down
>80m failed to explode, leaving a deadly legacy.
Like if it was some sort of common knowledge.
The Guardian. Not even once.
Yeah, it's nowhere near as universal as the Geneva Protocol, my dear
>how do 30% of the bomblets fail to go off?
they are small and light, easier to bury in mud or get disrupted and not fall on the fuse
>how do 30% of the bomblets fail to go off?
easy, western overblown, overengineered tech
>overengineered tech
they fail because they are too primitive just an air drop grenade with a shitty fuse
This is the one used in Vietnam. It probably won't explode if it hits a tree, mud or water puddle.
A lot of munitions failed in Vietnam because the triple canopy foliage knocked them about and damaged the arming mechanism.
If you really want to go down a massive "why?" look up gravel mines. For all the shit we gave the Soviets about their butterfly mines, the gravel mines were next level in terms of frickery.
>No metal
>No detonators
>No fuses
>Disguised as leafs, rocks, sticks, ect.
>Usually just small fabric bags, about the size of anti-moisture packets, and camoflauged in natural earth colors
>10 to 25 grams of lead azide and RDX
We produced roughly 37 million of these things, and despite them going inert thanks to moisture, it was not uncommon for a few years after the war for them to still be taking off limbs of some poor bastard who just happened to be walking dirt paths between villages.
>Factors such as delivery technique, landing in soft or muddy ground, getting caught in trees and vegetation, and submunitions being damaged after dispersal or landing could result in an appreciable number of dud submunitions, even if they have a self-deactivation feature.
Cluster Munitions: Background and Issues for Congress p.3
https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/RS22907.pdf
Does it really matter?
>light mini-bomb hits soft dirt
>does nothing
yeah
Amerishart quality control. Made in the USA indeed.
What generally happens is that submunitions, just like most bombs, need to hit nose first to ensure reliable detonation. Being much lighter, the bomblets are easier to get deflected by foliage, have their parachute get stuck on trees or be destabilised by the ones that have just hit the ground and exploded.
>80 million failed to explode"
Trees.
Leaves and branches dampen the impact, and bomb don't go boom.