 A fuel–air explosive (FAE) device consists of a container of fuel and two separate explosive charges.After the munition is dropped or fired, the first explosive charge bursts open the container at a predetermined height and disperses the fuel (also possibly ionizing it, depending on whether a fused quartz dispersal charge container was employed) in a cloud that mixes with atmospheric oxygen (the size of the cloud varies with the size of the munition).The cloud of fuel flows around objects and into structures.