Drogue parachutes stabilize these submunitions in flight so they hit their targets straight on. The submunitions are also used to destroy hard targets such as vehicles and equipment. The only difference is that the fin assembly stabilizes the submunition instead of the drogue parachute. AT area-denial submunitions can be delivered by aircraft, artillery, and even some engineer vehicles. They will function when they receive a signal from metallic objects.
Most airframes are capable of delivering a variety of submunitions.
There is no set air delivery mission profile. The hazard area depends on the submunition, mission profile, target type, and number of sorties. Air delivered canisters contain varying amounts of CBUs. 2020 Saturation of unexploded submunitions has become a characteristic of the modern battlefield. Joint Publication 1-02 defines unexploded explosive ordnance as explosive ordnance which has been primed, fused, or otherwise prepared for action, and which has been fired, dropped, launched, projected, or placed in such a manner as to constitute a hazard to operations, installations, personnel or material and remains unexploded either by malfunction or design or for any other cause.