ABSTRACT

Submunitions come in many shapes, sizes, and can be deployed many different ways. If present, all the definitions associated with identifiable ordnance characteristics, such as ogive, bourrelet, warhead, body, motor, fin assembly, etcetera, apply to submunitions. If found outside military control, submunitions constitute a multitude of dangers as they are often designed to kill or injure personnel trained to clear them as stated in this quote. Mr. Rae McGrath is absolutely correct that submunitions, also known as cluster bomblets, constituted a tremendous threat to Kuwaiti civilians. But as submunitions are generally small and lack a standardized shape or configuration, they are easily overlooked, concealed, or carried off as war trophies. As submunitions are not fired or shot, but rather carried to the target area inside another munition, the typical characteristics are absent, and in many cases submunitions are completely devoid of any color codes or stamped markings.