Munitions

CBU-58A/B cluster bomb

Also known as
  • CBU-58

The CBU-58A/B is a U.S.-origin air-delivered cluster bomb built around the SUU-30H/B dispenser and 650 BLU-63A/B submunitions. GAO records a 1971 Air Force loading request for 5,955 bombs at $208.80 each, and Human Rights Watch documented CBU-58 remnants in Sanaa in 2016.

CBU-58A/B cluster bomb, Air-delivered cluster bomb, Munitions
Image source: CBU 58 Cluster Bomb

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Air-delivered cluster bomb
Service note
Cold War-era munition documented in Yemen in 2016
Designer
United States Air Force Armament Laboratory
Designed
Late 1960s to early 1970s
Unit cost
1971 Air Force loading request: $208.80 per CBU-58/B, or $1,243,404 for 5,955 bombs
Produced
Early 1970s loading request; Human Rights Watch documented a Yemen remnant marked as manufactured in 1978 at Milan Army Ammunition Plant
Number built
5,955 CBU-58/B cluster bombs requested for U.S. Air Force loading in 1971

Specifications

Delivery
Externally carried, air-delivered cluster bomb for aircraft release
Dispenser
SUU-30-series dispenser; OSMP identifies the Yemen-documented configuration as SUU-30H/B
Submunitions
650 BLU-63A/B or BLU-63/B anti-personnel bomblets
Explosive fill
About 163 lb (74 kg) total COMP B explosive in the BLU-63A/B payload, according to OSMP
Intended effect
Area fragmentation effects against personnel, soft-skinned vehicles, materiel, and similar exposed targets
Variants
  • CBU-58/B
  • CBU-58A/B
  • SUU-30H/B dispenser configuration
Dispenser Body

The Yemen-documented configuration identifies the CBU-58A/B as an SUU-30H/B dispenser body carrying BLU-63A/B submunitions.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
SUU-30H/B dispenser, Air-delivered submunition dispenser, MunitionsSUU-30H/B dispenserSubmunition dispenser

OSMP identifies the remnant as an SUU-30H/B air-delivered dispenser that comprised a CBU-58A/B cluster bomb unit.

Sources: CBU-58A/B

Submunition Payload

The bomb's battlefield effect came from the bomblets released after the dispenser opened in flight.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
BLU-63A/B submunition, Air-dropped high-explosive fragmentation bomblet, MunitionsBLU-63A/B submunitionAnti-personnel submunition

OSMP says the CBU-58A/B carries 650 BLU-63A/B submunitions and about 163 lb of COMP B explosive, matching the BLU-63 family documented in Yemen.

Sources: CBU-58A/B

Documented Configuration

Open-source reporting ties the Yemen-documented CBU-58A/B to a specific dispenser body, submunition payload, and 1971 loading request.

TopicDocumented detailSource
Dispenser bodySUU-30H/B air-delivered dispenser configured as a CBU-58A/B cluster bomb unit.CBU-58A/B
Payload650 BLU-63A/B submunitions with about 163 lb of COMP B explosive.CBU-58A/B
Loading order5,955 CBU-58/B bombs requested at $208.80 each for 1971 Army loading.Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet Program
Remnant markingHRW recorded a CBU-58 remnant in Sanaa marked as manufactured at Milan Army Ammunition Plant in 1978.Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in Capital

The dedicated relationship section below keeps the dispenser-body and payload links visible without flattening the weapon into generic cluster-bomb language.

Timeline

CBU-58A/B cluster bomb Key Events

  1. Air Force loading request is priced

    The Air Force requested the Army to produce 5,955 CBU-58/B cluster bombs at $208.80 each, with deliveries scheduled to start in July 1971.

    Sources: Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet Program

  2. Human Rights Watch documents Sanaa remnants

    Human Rights Watch identified CBU-58 remnants in Sanaa and said the bomb markings showed 1978 manufacture at Milan Army Ammunition Plant.

    Sources: Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in Capital

Media

CBU-58A/B cluster bomb Images

CBU-58A/B cluster bomb, Air-delivered cluster bomb, Munitions - view 1
Source: Cluster bomb CBU-58.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
CBU-89 Gator mine, Air-delivered scatterable mine cluster munition, MunitionsMunitionsCBU-89 Gator mineAir-delivered scatterable mine cluster munitionThe CBU-89 Gator mine is a U.S. Air Force air-delivered scatterable mine cluster munition that uses the SUU-64/B Tactical Munitions Dispenser to lay mixed antitank and antipersonnel minefields. GAO and Human Rights Watch sources document its 1990 Gulf War employment, while reference sources describe a 1,000-pound-class weapon carrying 72 BLU-91/B antitank mines, 22 BLU-92/B antipersonnel mines, and an optional FZU-39 proximity sensor.

Sources

Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in CapitalPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: CBU-58 cluster bombs used by Saudi-led coalition forces in Sanaa on January 6, 2016, with photographed remnants and manufacturer markings. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Yemen: Cluster Munitions Wounding CiviliansPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War background: Saudi-led coalition forces used U.S.-supplied cluster munitions in Yemen and were assessed by HRW as responsible for most documented cluster-munition attacks. | Accessed: 2026-06-20CBU-58A/BPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports specifications and background for the CBU-58A/B, including the SUU-30H/B dispenser, 650 BLU-63A/B submunitions, and total explosive weight. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Review of BLU-63/B Bomblet ProgramPublisher: U.S. Government Accountability Office | Note: Supports manufacturer and specification context: CBU-58/B used an SUU-30A/B dispenser with BLU-63/B bomblets, with U.S. Army loading and Ajax Hardware BLU-63/B production contract details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20CBU 58 Cluster BombPublisher: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain status for the CBU-58 cluster bomb display photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Cluster bomb CBU-58.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 reuse for the gallery image showing a CBU-58A/B at Flugplatzmuseum Cottbus. | Accessed: 2026-06-26