Note that "A kinetic energy weapon" is also something like the bullet coming out of the barrel of your rifle or pistol, or an armor piercing round of 'solid shot' from larger caliber "machine gun" or canon.
RFG = "Rods From Gawd" is another term sometimes used.
What makes these of interest, and potential controversy, is that they are intended to be used from overhead release with downward direction for impact. Either from high altitude (atmospheric) or from orbit with descent to Earth surface(targets).
In case of use against say armored vehicles, tanks~AFVs~APCs, etc., usually the armor thickness on top is rather thin and easier to penetrate than frontal and side armor platings. Similar considerations apply in regards to other target types such as bunkers or fortified installations.
Deployment could be similar to other cluster munitions where the "rods" are essentially unguided and just drop down via gravity acceleration, letting "luck" decide if they hit anything of value.
More refined use would see attachment of steering devices such as fins or thruster motors, with target sighting and directional control on-board computer devices to provide more precise steering/targeting. Another tweak would be some form of rocket motor for final velocity increase in terminal~near impact stage to add velocity to the device's mass for greater kinetic energy effect.
Major point of appeal and interest is this could be another form of targeting munition that doesn't involve use of explosives, just solid mass/material; and could produce destructive effect without being a nuclear warhead.
One variation would be to make main body mass a mix of 'slag' iron and nickel, similar to composition of some meteorites, which if combined with guidance, steering, and thrust(velocity) boost devices that would "vaporize" upon impact, the use could be attributed to meteor impact, hence an "Act of Gawd"(Nature) (Better plausible deniability).
Of course, if such devices existed in one's arsenal such would be kept highly secret and denied to exist so if ever used, there would be no trace back to source. Assuming track of "launch" and trajectory can also be shielded/masked of course.
