Cluster Munitions for Ukraine: Everything You Need to Know About Washington's Green Light Decision | Kyiv Post |

Germany and other NATO nation weapons developers first turned to cluster munitions during the Cold War-era as a counter to expected Red Army massed tank assaults into northwest Europe.

The SMArt 155 is one of the most advanced versions of that technology, building a pair of "smart" anti-armor mines into a howitzer shell that flies the sub-munitions to a target.

Equipped with advanced electronics, sensors and flight programs, the twin bomblets guide themselves to attack the thin roof armor of a tank or other heavy armored vehicle. Germany reportedly first sent Ukraine the munition in March 2023. 

Reportedly, a single SMArt 155 shell costs $80,000. A conventional 155mm shell - the munition the AFU is chronically short of - costs between $500 and $3,000. 

AFU gunners have reserved expensive SMArt 155 shells, or small quantities of similar Swedish-manufactured 155 BONUS anti-armor cluster munition shells, for use only against very high value targets.