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Fragmentation Munition
Fragmentation munitions use the detonation of an explosive to propel small fragments of material (‘fragmentation’) from the body of the munition at high velocity. A fragmentation munition typically affects a wider area than a simple blast munition of the same size, and is effective against personnel and unarmoured vehicles. Fragmentation is the primary mechanism of lethality for many common explosive munitions, but these munitions almost invariably also affect their environment through blast and other mechanisms (e.g., a high explosive fragmentation munition).
Analyst Note:
Two R-77 air-to-air missiles (NATO reporting name: AA-12 Adder) are carried in this photograph by a Russian Aerospace Forces Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft. Key markings, including the aircraft’s bort number (a coloured numeral that acts as a unit or base identifier), have been digitally obscured. (ARES)
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The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM; ‘Modular Air-to-Ground Armament’) family of French bolt-on guidance kits are fitted to air-delivered bombs of various sizes in a similar fashion to American JDAM kits. In some marketing materials, the acronym HAMMER is used, standing for ‘Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range’. This refers, in part, to the rocket boosters fitted to munitions in the family to extend their effective range. (ARES)
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In this photo, a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft from the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade, with the bort number ‘Blue 28’, is seen carrying an AASM-250 guided air-delivered bomb under its left wing. Available imagery shows that the AASM-250 has also been fitted to Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft, and can likely be carried by the Sukhoi Su-27 as well. (ARES)
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This image shows a MK 84 2,000-pound bomb that has had its fuze and baseplate removed in order to access the explosive filler. The fuze, fuze retaining ring, and baseplate can be seen on the white sheet.
The explosive material used to fill the bomb has been removed, possibly to be repurposed in improvised explosive devices or craft-produced munitions. Unexploded ordnance is often ‘harvested’ for these purposes. (ARES)
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This image shows an Israeli Air Force F-16 carrying four Rampage air-to-ground missiles. The Rampage is a 580 kg (1,278 lb) missile with GPS and INS guidance. It carries a multi-purpose warhead that is designed for engaging a range of targets in the open as well as offering some degree of penetration. (ARES)
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This image shows various munitions remnants, including a fuzewell and two nosecone fragments from GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. The presence of two different nosecones indicates that these remnants are from at least two distinct munitions. (ARES)
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This image shows a wing fragment from a SPICE-1000 bomb guidance kit. While there are no remnants of the bomb body visible, it can be determined that a MK 83-series 1,000-pound bomb or similar was used, as MK-83 series bombs are paired with the SPICE-1000 bomb guidance kit to form a complete munition. (ARES)
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This image shows a fragment of the wing assembly of a Paveway bomb guidance kit. The data plate, though damaged, provides additional information about the munition. A partial Commercial and Government Entity code (CAGE; “ …14”), manufacturing part number (MFG SKU; “872127-1”), National Stock Number (NSN; “...5-01-141-5890”), serial number (Serial NO; 15-005326), and date of manufacture (“…MFR. 10/15”) are visible. This data can be used to look-up the component and determine that this specific fragment is from a Paveway II guidance kit intended for use with a MK 82-series 500-pound-class air-delivered bomb. This bomb and guidance kit combination is referred to as the GBU-12. The CAGE code, although partial, is enough to determine that this specific kit was produced by Raytheon, rather than the other known manufacturer of the Paveway kits, Lockheed Martin. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows a fragment of the wing assembly of a Paveway kit, compatible with a MK 82 500-pound-class air-delivered bomb. (“..R USE ON MK82”). The National Stock Number (NSN; “1325-01-5453531”) indicates that this is a Paveway IV bomb guidance kit. There are variants of Paveway guidance kits compatible with all MK 80-series bombs, as well as other bombs such as the 5,000-pound-class BLU-113 penetrator. Paveway bomb guidance kits use laser guidance, and are more precise than JDAM guidance kits. Some variants of the Paveway kit, such as the ‘Enhanced’ series feature GPS and INS guidance in addition to laser guidance. (ARES)
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This image shows three North Korean 120 mm high explosive (HE) mortar projectiles. (ARES).
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This image shows a North Korean 120 mm high explosive (HE) mortar projectile next to an Iranian 120 mm HE mortar projectile. Despite both being the same calibre, the overall shapes and dimensions of the two projectiles are noticeably different. Factors such as payload weight and range can be affected significantly by projectile shape. (ARES)
2 Analyst Notes:
This image shows one of several possible warhead variants that can be carried by the Shahed-136/Geran-2 one-way attack (OWA) UAV. The Shahed-136/Geran-2 (and the smaller Shahed-131/Geran-1) has been documented carrying shaped-charge warheads, penetrator warheads, and multi-function warheads. Due to the various warheads that can be carried by a Shahed/Geran drone, the functional use cannot be determined without the warhead being visible. In this case, the munition was fitted with a TBBCh-50M warhead that contains a thermobaric explosive composition with an additional fragmentation effect. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
Shahed-131/Geran-1 and Shahed-136/Geran-2 one-way-attack (OWA) UAVs can be fitted with on of a variety of warheads with different functional uses. The specific type carried by each UAV cannot be determined unless the munition has been damaged in such a way as to reveal the warhead, such as in this case. This image shows the cone of the shaped charge, indicating that this Shahed-1/Geran-1 carries a warhead with a penetrating or anti-armour effect. This warhead has been documented with 18 additional liners for enhanced anti-armour effect, and in some cases has been fitted with fragmentation liners for an enhanced anti-personnel effect. (ARES)
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Whilst there are no visible markings explicitly identifying the model of the 122 mm rockets in this image, they are sitting atop a box marked “R-122” and exhibit physical features consistent with North Korean R-122 rockets. It should be noted that rockets marked with the generic “R-122” model name have been observed in both ‘long’ and ‘short’ overall lengths and painted in different colours. (ARES)
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Whilst relatively little is known about Burmese air-delivered bombs from publicly available sources, researchers (including those at ARES and Myanmar Witness) have been collecting evidence based on munitions’ physical features and markings. Combined with information from confidential sources, this has allowed for the tentative identification of several models. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
As with several other images in the OSMP database, the text on this image was added by a social media user prior to its inclusion herein. Rather than a “rocket” as described in the annotation, this image actually shows an air-delivered bomb. (ARES)
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The two North Korean 120 mm high explosive (HE) mortar projectiles in this image are each fitted with five cloth bags affixed above the tailfins. These are incremental propellant charges (sometimes known as augmenting, auxiliary, or supplemental charges), the number of which can be varied along with a mortar’s elevation to adjust the trajectory and range of the munition when fired. (ARES)
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This image shows two Iranian 130 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectiles. Calibre (“130MM”) and functional type (“HE - TNT”) markings are visible on the right-hand example, whilst a lot marking (“LOT:10/202[…]”) is partially obscured. The “TNT” marking indicates that this munition uses a trinitrotoluene composition as its explosive fill. (ARES)
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This 9M27K-series surface-to-surface cargo rocket is loaded with either 9N210 or 9N235 high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) submunitions. These models are nearly identical in construction, differing primarily in the nature of the pre-formed fragments they carry. (ARES)
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This image shows an Iranian 122 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectile. Like several other munitions, it is described in Iranian sources—and, in this case, on the munition itself—only by reference to the weapon with which it is most often associated: the Soviet-designed 122 mm D-30 howitzer (often rendered ‘D30’, without the hyphen, in Iranian service). This munition is also marked to indicate it was produced in 2023. Interpreting munitions markings in this way, especially where they indicate recent manufacture, may provide evidence of ongoing supply during a conflict. (ARES)
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The munition indicated in this image as a 152 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectile manufactured in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). (ARES)
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This image shows an SUU-30H/B, an air-delivered dispenser which can be configured to carry different submunition payloads. These can include 217 BLU-61 A/B, 650 BLU-63/B, or 650 BLU-86/B or BLU-86 A/B. The munition can also carry inert payloads. The specific combination of payload and dispenser determines the ‘Cluster Bomb Unit’ (CBU) designation, with SUU-30H/B dispensers being paired with different payloads to form the CBU-58 and CBU-71 series. Contextual information suggests that this dispenser was part of a CBU-58/B cluster munition, but this cannot be established from an assessment of this image alone. (ARES)
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This image shows an aerosurface or ‘strake’ from a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bomb guidance kit of the type fitted to MK 82-series 500-pound air-delivered bombs. The JDAM kits compatible with MK 82 bombs have aerosurfaces that are affixed near the nose of the bomb—rather than around the widest part of the bomb body, as seen in JDAM kits that are compatible with the larger MK 83 or MK 84 bombs. (ARES)
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MK 84 unguided air-delivered bombs can be fitted with a variety of tail kits, or with guidance kits which convert them into precision guided munitions (PGMs). When an air-delivered bomb impacts a building or the ground without functioning, the tail or guidance kit may be sheared off. With these separated from the munition—and in the absence of other identifying features, such as a seeker fitted to the nose of the weapon—it becomes very difficult to determine whether the bomb was guided or unguided. (ARES)
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The internal components of large, complex munitions often feature markings to aid in assembly, supply chain oversight, and quality assurance. In this case, a data plate marked with the name of the manufacturer (“MBDA FRANCE”) has been affixed to one of the rear control fins (“EQ, VENTRAL, FIN TIP”) of the missile. The NATO Stock Number (NSN) is also visible. (ARES)
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This image shows an actuator from a Storm Shadow-series missile. Actuators are components of guided munitions that are most often used to move control surfaces (e.g., fins and wings), enabling the munition to adjust its course in-flight in response to guidance commands. In this case, the component is fitted with a ‘data plate’ that indicates it was manufactured by MBDA France. (ARES)
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This image shows a Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbojet engine from a Storm Shadow-series air-launched cruise missile. Further remnants of the rear of the missile are also visible, including one of the rear control fins. The Storm Shadow has a range of more than 250 kilometres. (ARES)
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This image shows the rear of the second stage of the penetrator warhead (also called a ‘follow-through’ warhead) of the Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge (BROACH) multi-stage warhead system present in the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missile. The cylindrical object in the centre of the warhead (with a data plate marked “THALES”) is the fuze. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows the first stage of the Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge (BROACH) multi-stage warhead used by the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missile. The BROACH uses a shaped-charge warhead (seen here) as its first stage, to help penetrate hardened targets, whilst the second stage comprises a conventional high explosive penetrator warhead (also called a ‘follow-through’ warhead) (ARES).
Analyst Note:
The remnant at left in this image is the second stage, or penetrator warhead, of the Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge (BROACH) multi-stage warhead as used in the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missile. In this case, it has failed to function as intended. (ARES)
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In this image, two GBU-39 guided air-delivered bombs can be seen in their shipping containers, with only the nose and the tail actuation section of the munitions clearly visible. Distinctive packaging such as this can sometimes be used as contextual evidence for the presence of specific munitions. (ARES)
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This image shows part of a heavy-duty suspension lug associated with the Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile. This is made clear from dot-peened markings which include “STORM SHADOW USE ONLY” and identifiers such as a NATO Stock Number (NSN). (ARES)
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The munitions remnant on the left of this image is part of a suspension lug associated with the Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile, which is used to attach the munition to an aircraft. This component is of heavy construction, and as such often survives the missile’s functioning intact. This photograph purports to show remnants recovered from a Storm Shadow missile that was fired by Ukrainian forces into Russian territory, but this claim cannot be verified from the image alone. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
These R-122 ‘Grad’-type 122 mm surface-to-surface rockets were produced in North Korea. The example to the right is fitted with an F-122 impact fuze. Whilst a two-tone colour scheme is more common amongst those North Korean Grad rockets thus far identified in the context of the Ukraine conflict (these typically featuring a black forward section), uniformly coloured examples like this have also been identified previously. (ARES)
