M143 bomblet

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M143 Bomblet
M143 Bomblet
Type	Submunition
Service history
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Wars	Vietnam War, Gulf War
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The M143 Bomblet is a type of submunition used by the United States military and its allies. It is designed to be dispersed over a wide area to target enemy personnel and light vehicles. The M143 is typically delivered via cluster munitions such as artillery shells, rockets, or aerial bombs.

Design and Development

The M143 Bomblet was developed during the 1960s as part of the United States' efforts to enhance its area denial capabilities. The design of the M143 focuses on maximizing the lethality and coverage area of each bomblet, making it effective against dispersed targets.

The bomblet is equipped with a small explosive charge and a fragmentation casing. Upon deployment, the bomblet is dispersed from its carrier munition and detonates upon impact or after a preset delay, scattering shrapnel over a wide radius.

Operational Use

The M143 Bomblet has been used in several conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Its effectiveness in creating a wide area of effect makes it suitable for targeting enemy troop concentrations and disrupting supply lines.

The bomblet is typically deployed in large numbers, with each carrier munition containing dozens or even hundreds of bomblets. This saturation approach increases the likelihood of hitting targets and complicates enemy countermeasures.

Controversy and Criticism

The use of bomblets like the M143 has been controversial due to the potential for unexploded ordnance (UXO) to remain on the battlefield, posing a threat to civilians long after the conflict has ended. Efforts to address these concerns have led to the development of self-destruct mechanisms and sensor-fuzed technologies to reduce the risk of UXO.

Also see

• Cluster munition
• Submunition
• Area denial weapon
• Unexploded ordnance
• Vietnam War
• Gulf War