CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon

The CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon is a U.S. air-delivered cluster munition built around the CBU-97 dispenser and WCMD guidance kit. In the Yemeni Civil War, Human Rights Watch documented Saudi-led coalition use against vehicle and armored targets, making the weapon a notable example of precision-guided cluster munition use in the conflict.

Yemeni Civil WarYemeni government and coalition forces

Conflict side: Yemeni government and coalition forces
Built by: Textron Systems
Built in: United States

CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, Cluster munition, Munitions

Image source: CBU-105 SFW.jpg

Profile

Type: Cluster munition
Conflict side: Yemeni government and coalition forces
Origin: United States
Service note: Cold War design, exported and used in the Yemen war from 2015

cluster munition anti-tank precision fires strike air-delivered

Service History

In service: Exported variant of the Sensor Fuzed Weapon family; CBU-105 pairs the CBU-97 dispenser with WCMD guidance.
Used by: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States
Wars: Yemeni Civil War, Iraq War

Production History

Designer: Textron Defense Systems
Designed: 1980s-1990s
Built by: Textron Systems
Built in: United States
Unit cost: Not publicly standardized; export pricing varied by contract and configuration
Produced: 1990s-2016
Number built: At least several thousand across CBU-97/CBU-105 production runs
Variants: CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, CBU-105D/B training round

Specifications

Weight: About 427 kg (roughly 1,000 lb class)
Length: About 2.3 m
Payload: 10 BLU-108 submunitions, each with four skeet projectiles
Guidance: WCMD tail kit adds inertial wind correction for more accurate delivery
Role: Air-delivered anti-armor cluster munition

Conflict Usage

Yemeni Civil War: Side: Yemeni government and coalition forcesRole: Air-delivered anti-armor strike munitionstrike anti-tank
In the Yemeni Civil War, Human Rights Watch documented the Saudi-led coalition's use of CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons in airstrikes in Yemen and identified remnants from coalition attacks.

CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon Images

CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, Cluster munition, Munitions - view 1 — Source: CBU-105 SFW.jpg

CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, Cluster munition, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Load 'er up.jpg

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Sources

HRW Yemen cluster munitions reportPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports Yemeni Civil War direct use: used by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, including reported attacks in Hajjah and identified CBU-105 remnants from coalition airstrikes. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 Lockheed Martin smart weapons releasePublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports the WCMD guidance kit context, the CBU-103/104/105 family relationship, and manufacturer/background claims for the CBU-105 system. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 CBU-105 SFW.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the public-domain CBU-105 SFW photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 Load 'er up.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the public-domain CBU-105 loading photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-22