Perseus Area Saturation Weapon is an unguided air dropped parachute retarded munition in the 1000 lbs and 2000 lbs class. It operates in the thermobaric principle and is used against communications centers, missiles sites, invasion concentrations of troops, helicopter landing zones, minefield clearance and others. An inertial guided version by means of a guidance conversion kit is offered as an option for increased precision. The weapon is released at low altitude over the target in single or ripple mode. A proximity fuze detonates at preset delay and releases the canisters which are descending retarded by parachute. The canisters are in turn detonated by individual fuzing and release a vapour cloud (aerosol). This cloud upon detonation causes multiple combined effects of extreme pressure, impulse, diffraction and surface drag.

Perseus was the ancient Greek warrior who killed "The Medusa", a mythological creature, woman with snakes in the place of hair. The name comes from the verb "perthein" which means to destroy, eliminate, waste, ravage.