OVERVIEW: The Mk 20 Rockeye II is an unguided, free-falling cluster bomb designed to engage armored vehicles, soft targets, and airfield infrastructure. It carries 247 Mk 118 dual-purpose submunitions and uses the Mk 7 dispenser system.

DETAIL: The Mk 20 was developed by the U.S. Navy and widely adopted by the U.S. Air Force and allied forces for anti-armor and area denial roles. It dispenses 247 Mk 118 bomblets over a wide footprint using a mechanical release system. Each bomblet is shaped-charge based, effective against light to medium armor, and contains fragmentation casing for anti-personnel effect. The bomb is stabilized by fins and uses either mechanical or radar proximity fuzes. Its construction favors rapid saturation of target zones, especially against dispersed mobile formations.

The Mk 118 submunitions are dual-purpose: designed to penetrate armor with a shaped charge and simultaneously inflict personnel and light structure damage via fragmentation. The Mk 7 dispenser splits open mid-flight to scatter bomblets in a pre-set pattern. Mk 20s have been tested with various fuzing delays and can be optimized for dense vehicle columns or fixed-area suppression.

Typical use involves medium-to-low altitude delivery by strike aircraft, often in pairs or groups to ensure overlap of bomblet coverage. The Rockeye is programmed via onboard systems and released on pre-designated coordinates or visual targets. It has been deployed operationally from both naval and land-based aircraft.

NOTE:
IOC: 1968
Operators: United States, Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan
Platform: A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, F/A-18 Hornet, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16, AV-8B Harrier II, F-4 Phantom II
Conflicts: Vietnam War, Gulf War, Operation Allied Force, Iraq War

SOURCE:
U.S. Air Force Armament Museum ; Jane’s Weapons: Air-Launched ; Department of Defense, Historical Munition Fact Sheets ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) ; U.S. Navy Weapon Systems Explosive Ordnance Disposal publication
https://www.fas.org ; https://www.afmuseum.com ; https://www.navy.mil ; https://www.janes.com