CBU-87
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| CBU-87 | |
|---|---|
| Name | CBU-87 |
| Caption | CBU-87 cluster bomb unit |
| Origin | United States |
| Type | Cluster munition |
| Used by | United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps |
| Wars | Gulf War, Iraq War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) |
| Manufacturer | Textron, General Dynamics, Aeronautical Systems Center |
| Weight | 525 lb (approx) |
| Filling | 202 BLU-97/B submunitions |
CBU-87 is a United States airborne cluster munition developed during the late Cold War era and fielded widely by United States Air Force and United States Navy platforms. It combines an aerial dispenser with multiple anti-armor and anti-personnel submunitions to cover area targets and is part of broader munitions inventories used in conflicts such as the Gulf War and the Iraq War. The design influenced subsequent systems and has been central to debates involving international law, humanitarian organizations, and arms-control efforts involving entities like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Design and Composition
The CBU-87 integrates an aluminum casing with a mechanical ejection system and 202 BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bomb (CEB) submunitions originally produced by contractors including Textron Systems, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, and units associated with US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. Its dispenser resembles other cluster dispensers such as those used for the BLU family and shares lineage with designs deployed from aircraft like the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, B-52 Stratofortress, and AV-8B Harrier II. The BLU-97/B submunition itself contains a shaped charge for armor defeat, a fragmenting case for personnel effects, and an incendiary component similar in concept to munitions used by platforms described in procurement records from the Defense Logistics Agency. Engineers referenced design practices from programs overseen by the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Naval Air Systems Command.
Fuzing and Dispersion Mechanisms
Fuzing and dispersion for the unit employ mechanical timers and aerodynamic devices influenced by earlier dispensers such as those in the BLU series; deployment sequencing is compatible with avionics and weapon systems software used on platforms like the F-22 Raptor integration studies and the USAF Tactical Air Command procedures. The dispenser opens at a pre-set altitude derived from delivery parameters used by units in NATO operational doctrines and ejection geometry researched by teams affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Submunitions deploy via spin-stabilized release and use small parachute or retardation devices inspired by technologies fielded on munitions evaluated by RAND Corporation analysts. Fuzing options include impact and delayed-action mechanisms examined in testing programs conducted at ranges administered by White Sands Missile Range and Dugway Proving Ground.
Operational History and Use
Operational employment of the system occurred in campaigns such as the Operation Desert Storm phase of the Gulf War, counterinsurgency sorties during the Iraq War (2003–2011), and strikes in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Military units from the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force have recorded use or integration trials in exercises like Red Flag and Operation Enduring Freedom. Tactical doctrines from offices such as the United States Central Command and publications from the Joint Chiefs of Staff guided targeting practices, while after-action assessments by organizations like the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Congressional Research Service analyzed effectiveness and collateral effects. Use in theaters prompted responses from diplomatic actors including delegations to the United Nations General Assembly and debates within the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Effects and Lethality
The BLU-97/B submunitions combine a shaped charge capable of perforating light armor, fragmentation to incapacitate personnel, and an incendiary element to start small fires—effects studied in ordnance analyses by the United States Army Armor School and blast research at institutions such as Sandia National Laboratories. Lethality patterns were modeled in simulations performed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and examined in casualty reports by medical units from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Bagram Airfield medical facilities. Area coverage produces high probability of hitting soft and lightly armored targets across a footprint that was compared with alternative munitions in assessments by the Institute for Defense Analyses and publications in the Journal of Conflict Resolution addressing force protection and materiel effectiveness.
Variants and Modifications
Variants emerged including dispenser adaptations compatible with guidance kits like the Joint Direct Attack Munition family and integration with precision-guidance efforts exemplified by programs such as the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser retrofit. Modifications and follow-on systems inspired by the CBU-87 architecture include the CBU-89 series and later developments culminating in munitions with reduced unexploded ordnance signatures—initiatives influenced by research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and procurement decisions by the Defense Acquisition University. International operators and manufacturers considered alternative submunition designs after reviews by entities such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Legal, Ethical, and Environmental Issues
Deployment sparked legal and ethical scrutiny from bodies including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and deliberations within the United Nations system, prompting treaty discussions such as the Convention on Cluster Munitions negotiations and debates in the International Court of Justice context. Environmental impact assessments referenced contamination and unexploded ordnance clearance concerns addressed by specialized teams like those in United Nations Mine Action Service and nongovernmental clearance organizations including The Halo Trust and MAG (Mines Advisory Group). Parliamentary inquiries in states such as United Kingdom, Norway, and Australia along with reports by the International Committee of the Red Cross influenced policy shifts and eventual procurement adjustments by the Department of Defense and allied ministries.