Scatterable mines are intended to be dropped from helicopters or dispersed from submunitions dispensers by cruise missiles, artillery, or bombs. They typically have a small explosive charge and, by their nature lie on the surface, but the shock-proofing that allows them to be scattered from the air renders them immune to most forms of explosive triggering.

These mines are often used for “area denial”. A munition intended to close enemy airfields drops 400 runway cratering bomblets and 400 mines which explode randomly over the next three days to prevent workers from patching the craters. Unfortunately, the majority of scatterable mines do not self-destruct and must be cleared one by one.