TXT - U.S. to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine in new military aid package

2023-07-07 06:57:31 ET

The U.S. is planning to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine in a new military aid package of up to $800M that is expected to be announced on Friday. That's despite widespread fears that the bombs can cause civilian casualties long after a conflict comes to an end.

U.S. officials said the munitions will have a reduced dud rate, less than 3%, which means there will be fewer unexploded rounds. The White House will grant a waiver under a 2009 arms export law to provide the cluster bombs to Ukraine. The law states that such bombs can only be exported if their dud rate is under 1%.

Both Russia and Ukraine have used cluster bombs in the conflict. Cluster bombs would upgrade Kyiv's firepower but could also escalate the situation as the Ukrainian military gets a long-planned counteroffensive under way. The U.S. has already made several U-turns on supplying more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including heavy artillery and M1 Abrams tanks .

U.S. defense companies have moved away from the controversial cluster munitions, with Textron ( TXT ) - the last U.S. manufacturer of cluster bombs - ending production in 2016. Northrop Grumman ( NOC ) also backed out of a government contract in 2021 that involved testing of cluster bomb parts.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions, introduced in 2008, was signed by 108 countries - but not the U.S. The treaty prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster bombs.

More on U.S. support for Ukraine

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• Pentagon pays for Starlink satellite service in Ukraine
• Russia's invasion of Ukraine drives record in global defense spending

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