Flechette Rounds...anyone know whether the US uses them or not?

[Toots]

Flechette Rounds were banned for quite some time in the military and I am wondering if they are now back into use. They are usually artillery rounds or rocket rounds which contain thousand of little needle point feathered darts called flechettes. Because they are needle points they will penetrate most anything. They are like a giant shotgun round except instead of be bes they are darts. They are detonated in the air (air burst) and the thousands of darts usually will cover an area of about 20-30 meter diameter. That is the "kill zone" Ever heard the story about a piece of straw found embedded into an engine block after a tornado? That is what I am talking about.

[DS1]

1. Flechette

You'll have a more effective google search if you spell it right.

It's French, I believe

[Toots]

3. Thanks.. Me bad....

:spank:

[Greyhound]

2. If we don't use the flechette round itself, we have several other

similar, and even more horrific, rounds in the arsenal.

[Lexingtonian]

4. they're illegal under Geneva Conventions, iirc

The Israeli military got into trouble for killing some Palestinians with them a year or two ago.

I doubt the U.S. military would use them. Proximity fused high explosive shells, rockets, and bombs are cheaper and easier and 'legal'. White phosphorous or napalm does about the same, as well.

[Greyhound]

6. From Jane's

"The use of flechette rounds in war is not proscribed by the Geneva Convention but their use in internal security operations is more problematic."
http://www.janes.com/regional_news/africa_middle_east/news/jdw/jdw010522_2_n.shtml
There's lot more in the article.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. It is my understanding that they are not against the Geneva Convention

However, they are not all that effective except in specialized circumstance, like massed infantry or human wave attacks. In those cases, devastating does not begin to cover the havoc they can wreak. They are modern day chain or grape shot. Flechette rounds are also available for shotguns and rifles, though the latter is a single flechette with a sabot.

[Chef]

5. Flechette

We used them in Viet Nam in 105MM howitzers and we referred to them as beehive rounds. Very effective against massed troops at close range. Think of massed charge on a gun position.

[Solo_in_MD]

8. Yes they are

as well as shotgun style tank rounds for the M-1