since projectiles have both native and “imposed” fragmentation i very much suspect it’s very much intentional 
whether or not it’s intentional because of an engine quirk/TQ legacy i don’t know,
but i can’t see how the devs wouldn’t be well aware of it and its implications at this point, specially when they themselves then set different mechanics for how various fragments operate “mechanically” in regards to ex skill bonuses and modifiers/skill nodes
ex
(scroll down to the bottom for the part on fragmentation mechanics)