Definition

Noun: A cluster bomblet is one of the many smaller explosive submunitions contained within and dispersed from a larger cluster bomb. These individual bomblets are designed to scatter over a wide area upon the main bomb's detonation.

Usage

The term is used specifically in military and disarmament contexts to refer to the individual, often small, explosive units that make up the payload of a cluster munition. - The treaty aims to ban the use of cluster bombs due to the danger posed by unexploded cluster bomblets. - After the airstrike, the field was littered with live cluster bomblets, creating a long-term hazard for civilians.

Advanced Usage

• "Unexploded cluster bomblet" (UXO): A bomblet that failed to detonate on impact, becoming a dangerous remnant of war. This is a common term in humanitarian demining and post-conflict reporting.
  • Humanitarian teams are working to clear the area of unexploded cluster bomblets.

Variants and Related Words

• Cluster bomb (n): The parent munition that releases or contains the bomblets.
• Submunition (n): The general technical term for any small munition dispersed from a larger one; a cluster bomblet is a type of submunition.
• Bomblet (n): A more general term for a small bomb, which can be used outside the specific context of cluster munitions.

Synonyms

• Submunition (technical synonym)
• Bomblet (general synonym)

Related Phrases

• Dud rate: The percentage of cluster bomblets that fail to explode as designed, a critical measure of their humanitarian impact.
  • A high dud rate means more unexploded ordnance remains after a conflict.

Noun

1. one of the smaller bombs that are released from a cluster bomb