§ Lord Astor of Heverasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider the use of free-fall bombs legally justifiable, given the widespread availability of precision guided air-launched weapons. [HL2045]
§ Lord BachResponsibility is placed on users of all weapons to ensure that their use complies with legal principles, including the requirement to focus attacks on military objectives and to seek to ensure that attacks are proportionate to the direct military advantage anticipated. The United Kingdom takes extensive steps to ensure that all weapons in our inventory can be used in this way and that attacks comply with the law affecting the UK. We choose weapons that are appropriate to the task and, depending on the operational and tactical circumstances, such munitions may include free-fall bombs. While our Armed Forces have made increasing use of precision guided weapons, unguided munitions provide a military capability that cannot be immediately replaced.