Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas

The use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWPA) - particularly those weapons with potential wide-area effects - remains of significant concern to military forces, civil society, and other stakeholders. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) commissioned Armament Research Services (ARES) to produce a report examining the technical considerations relevant to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The focus of the report is on conventional explosive weapons,...
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The use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWPA) - particularly those weapons with potential wide-area effects - remains of significant concern to military forces, civil society, and other stakeholders. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) commissioned Armament Research Services (ARES) to produce a report examining the technical considerations relevant to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The focus of the report is on conventional explosive weapons, the use of which is not specifically prohibited or otherwise limited by international law (contrary to weapons such as landmines and cluster munitions, which do have specific restrictions imposed by international law). The weapon systems reviewed in this report are frequently encountered on contemporary battlefields, or else commonly held by state security forces and armed non-state actors.The purpose of the report is to provide background information on the technical characteristics of explosive weapons and other factors relevant to their effects. It is meant to be a general reference document, intended for a comparatively wide audience, and not a handbook for technical specialists.Part 1 of the report examines the design and effects of explosive munitions. It also addresses concepts such as accuracy, fuzing, the targeting process, collateral damage estimations, battle damage assessments, and more.Part 2 of the report provides generic information for the broad categories of weapon systems which deliver explosive payloads - artillery guns, mortars, rocket artillery, unguided aerial bombs, and other types. For each weapon category identified, Part 2 provides a description of the technical features relevant to the effects of the weapon. In particular, it includes, where available, estimated blast and fragmentation radius for munition types, estimated circular error probable figures, and other measurable effects.