§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current failure rate is for each type of cluster munition. [109682]
§ Mr. IngramWeapons containing cluster munitions are currently in service with the Army and Royal Air Force. The Army systems consist of(a) Shell 155mm HE Extended Range Bomblet Shell (ERBS) which has a proven maximum bomblet failure rate of 2 per cent. and (b) Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M26 bomblets which have a failure rate, between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. The failure rate is largely dependant on ground conditions and range.
315WThe RAF system consists of the BL755 cluster bomb; recent statistics show an overall failure rate of 6 per cent. in line with expectations. We have previously stated a failure rate for the BL755 of "approximately 5 per cent."; the figure has now increased not because the weapon is less reliable but because the parameters used to compile the statistics have changed.