The M44 generator cluster was an American chemical cluster bomb designed to deliver the incapacitating agent BZ. It was first mass-produced in 1962 and all stocks of the weapons were destroyed by 1989.
The United States Army Chemical Corps renewed their chemical warfare (CW) program's focus in the early 1960s.[1] This refocusing led to the pursuit of weapons utilizing agent BZ. In March 1962 the U.S. Army first began mass-production of the M44 generator cluster, along with the M43 BZ cluster bomb.[2] [1]
Despite reaching mass-production ("standardization" in military jargon) levels, the M44 and the M43 were never truly integrated into the main U.S. chemical arsenal.[2] In total, around 1,500 of the M44s and M43s were produced.[2] All U.S. BZ munitions and agent stockpiles were stored at Pine Bluff Arsenal. The entire U.S. BZ stockpile, including the M44s, were demilitarized and destroyed between 1988 and 1989.[3]
The M44 had a diameter of 15inches and a length of 60inches.[3] Weighing the M44 generator cluster was a cluster bomb which was designed to deliver approximately of the chemical incapacitating agent BZ.[3]
The weapon's sub-munitions are a combination of various components. Three M16 BZ smoke generators were held together in an M39 cluster adapter and its M92 wire assembly; the M39 essentially bound and buckled the generators together. Each generator also held its own parachute,[3] complete with harnesses and its own container. Also within the generator was its "generator pail" which contained the M6 canisters, the part of the sub-munition that held the BZ.[3] Each of the M44s three generator pails held 42 M6 canisters,[3] [4] a total of 126. The canisters were arranged in 14 three-canister tiers and each one held about of agent BZ.[3]
The M44s relatively small production numbers were due, like all U.S. BZ munitions, to a number of shortcomings. The M44 dispensed its agent in a cloud of white, particulate smoke.[3] This was especially problematic because the white smoke was easily visible and BZ exposure was simple to prevent; a few layers of cloth over the mouth and nose are sufficient. There were a number of other factors that made BZ weapons unattractive to military planners. BZ had a delayed and variable rate-of-action, as well as a less than ideal "envelope-of-action". In addition, BZ casualties exhibited bizarre behavior, 50 to 80 percent had to be restrained to prevent self-injury during recovery. Others exhibited distinct symptoms of paranoia and mania.[5]