Cluster bombs left behind.

Military Utility of Cluster Munitions

Air delivered Cluster Munitions

CBU stands for Cluster Bomb Unit.

Artillery Rocket launched Cluster Munitions

Cluster weapons systems held by the French armed forces

France's cluster weapon employment concept

Legal and humanitarian concerns about cluster munitions

The UK has both air delivered and ground launched cluster munitions, which can serve as examples of how cluster munitions are used.

International humanitarian law and the operational use of cluster weapons by France

Military officials are also troubled by the impact of cluster munitions on civilian populations.

The French armed forces currently hold three systems of cluster weapons

It is also aware of the advantages and risks attached to the use of cluster weapons.

The characteristics of cluster munitions also raise concerns under the rule of proportionality.

Cluster munitions a need to further examine IHL implementation and the adequacy of the law

This paper will focus principally on the way in which cluster munitions are used.

Many delegations have noted that cluster munitions are a particular focus of the Group's work.

No IHL treaty specifically regulates cluster munitions.

In the case of urgent military necessity, if there is a possibility of causing collateral damage to civilian life or property, it must be proportionally minimal in relation to the actual military advantage expected.

It also highlights the specific legal issues that arise with regard to the use of cluster munitions.

The details of those used by other states inevitably differ.

The persistent nature of cluster munitions when they fail to explode forms one of the most problematic aspects of these munitions.

Deciding to do without cluster weapons would mean accepting a substantial reduction in States' terrestrial defence capabilities.

Human Rights Watch, for instance, shares evidence, which shows that cluster bombs was used to killed children at the hands of the regime's air forces.

The rocket launched cluster munition releases a much larger number of smaller bomblets (644).

There has been much debate in this forum on the implementation of existing principles of International Humanitarian Law for cluster munitions.

Cluster munitions are area effect weapons, which may be either air delivered or ground launched.

In particular, in 2002 it completed the destruction of its stockpiles of BLG66 cluster bombs.

A decision to use cluster weapons during an operation is therefore taken at the proper level with all necessary safeguards.

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Spotlight Response to major emergencies Indian Ocean and Darfur

Spotlight Supply operations in support of the MTSP targets and the Millennium Development Goals

Spotlight Supply operations

The UK does not regard it appropriate to use cluster munitions when the coordinates or location of a target are not known.

UK Forces certainly did not practise the deliberate targeting of residential neighbourhoods using ground launched cluster weapons.

Artillery launched cluster munitions will maintain a crucial capacity in the suppression of area targets for a long time to come.

The UK accepts that its air dropped cluster bombs have a failure rate that is unacceptably high.

As indicated above, cluster munitions raise serious concerns under a number of fundamental IHL rules.

Research on explosive remnants of war, such as cluster munitions, is planned in the near future.