United States is getting ready to announce transfer of cluster munition to Ukraine

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06 July 2023

Cluster 155-mm artillery munitions with cumulative fragmentation sub-elements, which the United States, according to The New York Times , is going to supply to Ukraine.
The decision to send DPICM munitions to Ukraine has been making headlines lately.
This is an older video of DPICM artillery munition in live field test (without sound ), just so yiu have an idea what these arricles are talking about.
Some people argue that these munitions are inherently indiscriminate and pose a risk to civilians ( which is a myth, there used to be issues with particles failing to detonate in early stages, but the glutch was solved a long time ago) .
- What is What is DPICM munition ?
DPICM stands for Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition. It is an artillery or surface-to-surface missile warhead designed to burst into submunitions at an optimum altitude and distance from the desired target for dense area coverage. The submunitions use both shaped charges for the anti-armor role, and fragmentation for the antipersonnel role, hence the nomenclature "dual-purpose". Some submunitions may be designed for delayed reaction or mobility denial (mines).
- Can you fire DPICM from HIMARs?
⚫ Yes, you can fire DPICM from HIMARS. The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is capable of firing a variety of rockets, including the M31 GMLRS and the M26A1 DPICM rocket. The M26A1 DPICM rocket is a 227mm rocket that carries 644 dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) submunitions. The DPICM submunitions are designed to disperse over a wide area and explode on impact, effectively disabling or destroying enemy vehicles and personnel.
- Some FUN facts :
⚫ Providing DPICM will allow Ukraine to compensate for Russia's quantitative advantage in both personnel and artillery rounds, and will allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to concentrate their use of unitary warheads against higher-value Russian targets. The operational benefits of DPICM include:
⚫ Alleviating pressure on U.S. and allied munitions supplies. The United States has nearly three million of these rounds in its inventory - much of it located on U.S. and allied bases in Europe.
⚫ Higher effectiveness. A single round can achieve a similar or greater operational effect as five or more rounds armed with GMLRS-U or other high-explosive warheads.
⚫ Unlocking multiple new systems that have a DPICM variant, including 155mm artillery rounds, ATACMS, and GMLRS.
⚫ Channeling enemy forces onto terrain that is favorable for precision targeting.
⚫ Offsetting Russia's quantitative advantage in artillery rounds and reducing both the overuse of artillery barrels and the heavy demand for resupply of artillery rounds.
⚫DPICM rounds can be heavily utilized the Precision Guidance Kits, gear that turns conventional rounds into near-precision ammunition
There are many variants of DPICM : some if them have longer range, more accuracy, can be fired from HIMARS
we will know more when we see them in action ;)