The CL-3 antistarfighter cluster bomb, a weapon designed to combat enemy starfighters, was produced by FreiTek Incorporated. This type of cluster bomb saw use by both the Rebel Alliance and, subsequently, the New Republic. To achieve camouflage, the CL-3 was designed to resemble part of a starship's external structure. Upon detonation, it released an initial burst of shrapnel, quickly followed by a cloud of magnetized grenades.
FreiTek Incorporated manufactured the CL-3 antistarfighter cluster bomb as an ovoid blister that was affixed to the hull of a starship, most commonly the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser. The design allowed it to blend seamlessly with the vessel's existing structure, appearing as standard weapon emplacements, sensor array blisters, or cargo modules. The CL-3 was intended to target enemy starfighter formations that happened to fly nearby during battle, detonating to destroy them in a sudden explosive attack.
The CL-3 was constructed with an external blister shell that housed an internal compartment filled with many magnetized proton and concussion grenades. When activated, explosive charges would shatter the outer blister shell, transforming it into shrapnel that was ejected into space alongside the payload of magnetized grenades. This created a debris field, consisting of shrapnel and the deadly grenades, that spread over a diameter of approximately one hundred meters. Any enemy starfighters caught within this field were struck by the shrapnel and the grenades, which were drawn to their hulls.
To protect the host ship from the CL-3's detonation, explosive dampeners were located at the base of the cluster bomb. While the grenades were effective against starfighters, they lacked the power to penetrate the armor of a capital ship. Maintenance teams could replace these cluster bombs in under ten minutes.