Any info on cluster munitions?

yoda9999

New Member
Does the PLA have any cluster munitions, like cluster bombs? Are they developing them? They seem like a great way to kill lots of people and vehicles over a wide area. I used the forum search function and couldn't find any. Thanks!
 

AssassinsMace

Lieutenant General
There's a pic of a PLAAF Su-30 being displayed with the weapons layed out next to it. It has cluster bombs there. Sino Defense use to have a bomb section but now they don't or I can't find it.
 

pngwerume

New Member
In the past couple of weeks I came across an article that China is developing a Sensor Fused Weapon. I was doing something else, and I have tried to find the article a few times but could not and cannot even remember which forum or website I was brawsing.
 

DarkEminence

New Member
Okay, this question is not in the context of the question (nor is it suggesting China is using these weapons), but what would happen if chemical weapons were loaded into Cluster Mines? I've always been wondering about that...greater dispersion and hence, greater casualties. What's the point of loading up CW's into one warhead when you can load it up in several? I'm only interested in the chemical portion, not the killing portion (alas, the scientist within me is stubborn)

And better yet...do any of you think this can be used as crop dusters? :D
 
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yoda9999

New Member
I think the bomblets are suppose to be lightweight. I don't know if stuffing them with chemicals would make them heavier. Don't the chemicals disperse enough like a gas?

Anyways, thanks for the info. I am still waiting for someone to post videos of the PLA's cluster munitions. :)
 

challenge

Banned Idiot
yoda9999 said:
I think the bomblets are suppose to be lightweight. I don't know if stuffing them with chemicals would make them heavier. Don't the chemicals disperse enough like a gas?

Anyways, thanks for the info. I am still waiting for someone to post videos of the PLA's cluster munitions. :)
photograph of chinese cluster bomb first appear in CONMILIT magazine in the early 90's,the bomb itself is base on old soviet design ,the bomblet round the slightly smaller then of cocacola can.
but around late 90's new gen. of cluster bomb was seen in the internet,but still no picture of bomblet look like.
 

DarkEminence

New Member
yoda9999 said:
I think the bomblets are suppose to be lightweight. I don't know if stuffing them with chemicals would make them heavier. Don't the chemicals disperse enough like a gas?

Anyways, thanks for the info. I am still waiting for someone to post videos of the PLA's cluster munitions. :)


Damnit. There goes my idea of modding Command and Conquer with Cluster CW's :mad:
 

duskylim

Junior Member
VIP Professional
Dear Sirs:

IIRC cluster munitions were first developed and deployed by the Germans in WWII. The first mass use of the new weapon came at the Battle of Kursk.

The problem was how to aid the German Armour in its break-through of Russian defensive anti-tank positions. Before during massed Russian tank attacks, lone German anti-tank guns were simply overwhelmed.

To meet this challenge, the German gunners grouped anti-tank guns (in German, PAK - Panzer Abwehr Kanone - anti-tank gun) together en-masse in so-called "pak-fronts", under the direction of a single fire-control center.

Tanks were engaged at maximum range by the whole set of guns and thus could be destroyed very quickly. Unfortunately the Russians quickly adopted the idea themselves and designed anti-tank defenses with pak-fronts several kilometers deep!

To break through these defenses, the Germans developed 100 kg bombs containing 100 1-kg bomblets, bursting open at a critical height and dispersing the sub-munitions, the result was to annihilate the gun crews - allowing a breakthrough the pak-front.

Incidentally the Germans also developed the fuel-air explosive (the so-called Oil-Shells, in Russian "thermobaric weapons") first used in Sebastopol as well as tank-busting aircraft - Ju 87 Stuka's with 37 mm guns in the undercarriage!

The greatest aerial tank killer was Hans-Ulrich Rudel and the commander of these aircraft was General Freiherr von Richtofen - the Red Barons nephew!

As to the Chinese, they have a complete range of cluster munitions, and FASCAM ammunition for the artillery (Family of Scatterable Mines).

Hope this helps,

Best Regards,

Dusky Lim
 

Dongfeng

Junior Member
VIP Professional
As far as I know, the PLAAF has developed a number of cluster bombs for anti-personnel, anti-armour and anti-runway roles. The ground forces are equipped with artillery rockets fitted with cluster warheads (Type 81, Type 90, A-300 and WS-1/-2).
 
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