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34-809: Development of the system began in 1977 as a 50/50 cooperative programme between Hunting Engineering (now known as INSYS ) of the UK and the US Air Force . The USAF intended to use the weapon with its General Dynamics FB-111 strike aircraft; however, in 1982 rising costs led them to pull out of the programme, and the British completed development on their own for potential use with the Panavia Tornado , SEPECAT Jaguar and Hawker Siddeley Harrier . The dispensers could be carried on wing pylons: short-finned containers for bomblets, or medium-length finned containers for mines. The F-111

68-452: A bulldozer blade when pushed before detonating and firing the forged fragments toward the vehicle. Unlike most other submunition delivery systems that essentially function as free-falling bombs, the JP233 dispenser pods remained with their aircraft during operation and were jettisoned once empty. Deployment required the aircraft to fly low, straight and level over an enemy airfield, and when over

102-416: A metal jet which travelled through the centre of the forward charge element and then penetrated the concrete runway surface to create an underground chamber. The momentum of the cylindrical charge was enough for it to follow down through the hole created by the shaped charge before exploding some distance under the runway surface. This second explosion was intended to produce a crater with significant "heave" at

136-495: A relic of the Cold War. They are a legacy that has to be eliminated because they increasingly won't work." Nobel peace prize winner Jody Williams called the convention "the most important disarmament and humanitarian convention in over a decade". Anti-cluster munitions campaigners praised the rapid progress made in the adoption of the convention, and expressed hope that even non-signatories – such as China, North Korea, Russia, and

170-477: Is an international treaty that prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of cluster munitions , a type of explosive weapon which scatters submunitions ("bomblets") over an area. Additionally, the convention establishes a framework to support victim assistance, clearance of contaminated sites, risk reduction education, and stockpile destruction. The convention was adopted on 30 May 2008 in Dublin , and

204-637: The LAW 80 or the BL755 cluster bombs . As part of Lockheed Martin UK it undertakes the certification and supply of the WAH-64 Apache helicopter munitions. Support equipment includes the in-service and future Biological Detection Systems, field hospitals , power generation and supply. This article about a company of the UK is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Convention on Cluster Munitions The Convention on Cluster Munitions ( CCM )

238-523: The "Wellington Declaration", setting forth the principles to be included in the convention. Delegates from 107 nations agreed to the final draft of the treaty at the end of a ten-day meeting held in May 2008 in Dublin, Ireland. Its text was formally adopted on 30 May 2008 by 107 nations, including 7 of the 14 countries that have used cluster bombs and 17 of the 34 countries that have produced them. The treaty

272-712: The 27 member-states of the European Union and 18 of the 26 countries in NATO . Among the signatories were several states affected by cluster munitions, including Laos and Lebanon. In November 2008, ahead of the signing conference in Oslo, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on all European Union governments to sign and ratify the convention, as several EU countries had not yet declared their intention to do so. Finland had declared it would not sign, having just signed

306-844: The JP233 Airfield Attack System and Airfield Denial System. The Cold War Gallery of the National Museum of the US Air Force has a JP233 on display, fitted to a Panavia Tornado GR1 aircraft. INSYS INSYS was formed in October 2001 by a management buy-out of Hunting Engineering and was subsequently acquired by Lockheed Martin UK Holdings, Ltd., a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation in October 2005. INSYS's products included lightweight anti-tank weapons such as

340-736: The Oslo Process, began in February 2007 in Oslo. At this time, 46 nations issued the "Oslo Declaration", committing themselves to: Conclude by 2008 a legally binding international instrument that prohibits the use and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians and secure adequate provision of care and rehabilitation to survivors and clearance of contaminated areas. The Oslo Process held meetings in Lima in May 2007 and Vienna in December 2007. In February 2008, 79 countries adopted

374-532: The Ottawa Treaty and replaced its mine arsenal largely with cluster munitions. According to article 17 of the treaty, the convention entered into force "on the first day of the sixth month after the month in which the thirtieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession has been deposited". Since the thirtieth ratification was deposited during February 2010, the convention entered into force on 1 August 2010; by that point, 38 nations had ratified

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408-532: The Pentagon pledged not to use any cluster munitions with a failure rate higher than 1 percent after 2018. However, U.S. did not impose an outright ban. The treaty allows certain types of weapons with submunitions that do not have the indiscriminate area effects or pose the same unexploded ordnance risks as the prohibited weapons. These must contain no more than nine submunitions, and no submunition may weigh less than 4 kilograms (8.8 lb). Each submunition must have

442-501: The US – would be discouraged from using the weapons by the entry into force of the convention. As one of the countries that did not ratify the treaty, the United States said that cluster bombs are a legal form of weapon, and that they had a "clear military utility in combat." It also said that compared to other types of weapons, cluster bombs are less harmful to civilians. Article 11 required

476-489: The United Kingdom and others, the treaty includes a provision allowing signatory nations to cooperate militarily with non-signatory nations. This provision is designed to provide legal protections to the military personnel of signatory nations engaged in military operations with the U.S. or other non-signatory nations that might use cluster munitions. David Miliband , who was Britain's foreign secretary under Labour, approved

510-578: The United Kingdom would withdraw all of its cluster bombs from service. This was done despite intense behind-the-scenes lobbying by the U.S. and objections by British government personnel who saw utility in the weapons. The CCM was opened for signature at a ceremony at Oslo City Hall on 3– 4 December 2008. By the end of the ceremony, 94 states had signed the treaty, including four (Ireland, the Holy See , Sierra Leone and Norway) which had also submitted their instruments of ratification. Signatories included 21 of

544-517: The United States. On 18 July 2024, the Parliament of Lithuania decided to withdraw from the convention. The Lithuanian government argued that Russia has used cluster munitions extensively during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and would not hesitate to use them in conflict with NATO . The government also pointed out that from the NATO states bordering Russia, only Lithuania and Norway were parties to

578-575: The capability to detect and engage a single target object and contain electronic self-destruct and self-deactivation devices. Weapons containing submunitions which each weigh at least 20 kg (44 lb) are also excluded. Australia, which supports the treaty, stated that the convention does not prohibit the SMArt 155 artillery shell that it has bought, which releases two self-guided self-destructing submunitions. In response to U.S. lobbying, and also concerns raised by diplomats from Australia, Canada, Japan,

612-406: The convention. Lithuania deposited its instrument of withdrawal from the convention on 6 September 2024, and the withdrawal will take effect on 6 March 2025 (though the convention will continue to apply in any armed conflicts that Lithuania may be engaged in at that time). As of September 2024, there were 112 states parties to the convention. Another 12 states have signed, but not ratified

646-474: The development and introduction of "smart" cluster munitions , where each submunition contains its own targeting and guidance system as well as an auto-self-destruct mechanism, means that the problematic munitions are being moved away from, in any case. In 2006, Barack Obama voted to support a legislative measure to limit use of the bombs, while his general election opponent John McCain and his primary opponent Hillary Clinton both voted against it. In 2008,

680-409: The edge, making repairs much more difficult and time-consuming. The HB-876 mines would lie scattered on the surface, making rapid repair of the runway very hazardous. The outside of the munition was surrounded by a "coronet" of spring steel strips that were held flat against the sides of the mine. After landing on the surface, a small explosive device would fire and release the coronet springs such that

714-536: The explosive canisters well after the conflict has ended. The 2006 Lebanon War provided momentum for the campaign to ban cluster bombs. The United Nations estimated that up to 40% of Israeli cluster bomblets failed to explode on impact. Norway organized the independent Oslo Process after discussions at the traditional disarmament forum in Geneva fell through in November 2006. The cluster munitions ban process, also known as

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748-544: The first meeting of states parties to be held within 12 months of the entry into force. The first such meeting was held in Laos in November 2010. There is a president, currently Swiss ambassador Félix Baumann . According to Cluster Munition Monitor 2022, the list of 16 countries that refuse to sign the convention and who produce cluster munitions included Brazil, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and

782-641: The increasing availability of standoff attack munitions capable of the same mission with little risk to the flight crew and aircraft, and the British entry into the Land Mines Treaty (which declares the HB-876 illegal), the UK withdrew the JP233 from service in 1998. JP233 would also have been rendered prohibited under the Convention on Cluster Munitions . Examples of the JP233 are in various museums. The Imperial War Museum also has films, viewable online, of tests of

816-695: The indiscriminate area effects or pose the same unexploded ordnance risks as cluster munitions. Permitted weapons must contain fewer than ten submunitions, and each must weigh more than 4 kilograms (8.8 lb), and each submunition must have the capability to detect and engage a single target object and contain electronic self-destruct and self-deactivation mechanisms. Weapons containing submunitions which all individually weigh at least 20 kg (44 lb) are also excluded. A limited number of prohibited weapons and submunitions can be acquired and kept for training in, and development of, detection, clearance and destruction techniques and counter-measures. The impetus for

850-442: The mine would become "erect" on the surface, with its self-forging fragment warhead pointing vertically upwards. The cylindrical case of the mine was made from dimpled steel and on detonation would spread small steel anti-personnel fragments, rather like a hand-grenade , in all radial directions. They would explode at preset intervals or if disturbed. Standing above the surface on the coronet of spring steel legs, they would tilt toward

884-510: The runway the pods would dispense their payload. During the Gulf War , it was widely reported in the popular press that Tornados were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire and MANPADS during delivery of the JP233 munition. In fact, none of the losses occurred during the attack phase of a JP233 mission. Only one aircraft was lost carrying the JP233, when Tornado ZA392 crashed into the ground approximately 16 km (10 mi) after delivering

918-634: The treaty, like that of the 1997 Ottawa Treaty to limit landmines , has been concern over the severe damage and risks to civilians from explosive weapons during and long after attacks. A varying proportion of submunitions dispersed by cluster bombs fail to explode on impact and can lie unexploded for years until disturbed. The sometimes brightly-colored munitions are not camouflaged, but have been compared to toys or Easter eggs , attracting children at play. Human rights activists claim that one in four casualties resulting from submunitions that fail to explode on impact are children, who often pick up and play with

952-592: The treaty. As the convention entered into force, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke of "not only the world's collective revulsion at these abhorrent weapons, but also the power of collaboration among governments, civil society and the United Nations to change attitudes and policies on a threat faced by all humankind". A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross said "These weapons are

986-403: The use of a loophole to manoeuvre around the ban which allows the US to keep the munitions on British territory. Prior to the Dublin meeting, the United Kingdom was thought to be one of a group of nations in a pivotal role, whereby their cooperation could make or break the treaty. In an unexpected turn of events shortly before the end of the conference, Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared that

1020-535: The weapon at low level; enemy fire was not reported and it was believed that this was an incident of controlled flight into terrain . What alarmed the crews of British and Saudi Arabian Tornados using JP233 was that the aircraft was brightly illuminated at night by the exploding munitions. Attacks using JP233 were suspended six days into the Gulf War, as the Iraqi Air Force was effectively flying no missions. With

1054-418: Was a two-stage munition. The longer, smaller-diameter forward section consists of a cylindrical high-explosive charge with a hole down the centre. The shorter, larger-diameter rear section held a shaped charge . At the front of the munition was a telescopic stand-off fusing system that created the correct detonation distance for the shaped charge. On impact, the extended fuse initiated the shaped charge, creating

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1088-653: Was capable of carrying a pair of each type, but the Jaguar and Harrier would be able to carry only a single pair of either type. The Tornado could be fitted with a pair of much larger pods on the shoulder pylons, each containing both types of munition. Each JP233 as fitted to the Tornado was divided into a rear section with 30 SG-357 runway cratering submunitions, while the front section carried 215 HB-876 anti-personnel mines . Both types of submunitions were retarded by small parachutes. The SG-357, which weighed 26 kilogrammes (57 pounds),

1122-566: Was opened for signature on 3 December 2008 in Oslo . It entered into force on 1 August 2010, six months after it was ratified by 30 states. As of December 2023, a total of 124 states are committed to the goal of the convention, with 112 states that have ratified it, and 12 states that have signed the convention but not yet ratified it. Countries that ratify the convention will be obliged "never under any circumstances to": The treaty allows certain types of weapons with submunitions that do not have

1156-560: Was opposed by a number of countries that produce or stockpile significant quantities of cluster munitions, including China, Russia, the United States, India, Israel, Pakistan and Brazil. The U.S. has acknowledged humanitarian concerns about the use of cluster munitions, but insisted that the proper venue for a discussion of cluster munitions was the forum attached to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons , which includes all major military powers. The U.S. has further stated that

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