STOCKPILE COMPONENTS AND THREAT

© 1999 Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation CA31

STOCKPILE COMPONENTSAND THREAT

STOCKPILE COMPONENTSAND THREAT

© 1999 Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation

OBJECTIVE

CA32

• Describe the types of munitions stored in your vicinity and the potential for an off-site release


STOCKPILE COMPONENTS

• Characterized by– form of munitions

– type of agent

– packaging and storage requirements

– maintenance requirements

– potential threat of accidental release

CA33


TYPES OF MUNITIONS

CA34

Rockets Cartridges Projectiles BombsLandmines

One-ton Containers

(Spray Tanks not shown; not to scale)


ROCKETS

CA35

• All obsolete and declared hazardous waste

• Contain approximately 10 lbs of GB or VX in extruded aluminum warheads

• Warhead includes explosive charge (burster) and fuse to initiate charge

• Solid propellant contained in a steel motor that is threaded onto warhead

M55 rocket


ROCKETS

• Stored in fiberglass shipping and firing containers with aluminum ends

• 15 shipping/firing containers per 1 pallet• Always stored in igloos pointing toward earth-covered

concrete wall• In unlikely event of

accidental ignition,rocket should not escape the igloo

Rocket pallets inside storage igloo


ROCKETS

• No scheduled handling or maintenance since obsolete

• Checked routinely for leakage• Checks made of interior of igloo and

inside shipping and firing container• Any leakage discovered is promptly

contained using approved overpacks

M55 rocket


ROCKETS

• Army tests established that if 2 rockets exploded, 13 other rockets would leak forming an agent puddle– occurs inside igloo

– no off-post liquid threat

– low concentration of agent vapors likely to pass installation boundaries

CA38


CARTRIDGES

CA39

• 2 types– 1 fired from howitzer containing

approximately 2 – 3 lbs of GB or HD

– 1 fired from mortar containing approximately 6 lbs of HD or HT

• Rarely, but sometimes, have all elements needed to be fired encased in fiberboard container– includes propellant, bursting charge, fuze

• 2 fiberboard containers to 1 wooden box• 12 to 36 wooden boxes per 1 pallet

GB cartridge


CARTRIDGES• All cartridges stored in igloos

• Normal maintenance includes rewarehousing, handling and inspecting for defects and leakage– if leakage detected, probably would be vapor for GB and

liquid for HD and HT

– effects would be confined to igloo

• Army has determined if one cartridge explodes no other cartridge in igloo would detonate– no cartridges can spontaneously explode

– external force such as fire or accident must occur to cause cartridge to explode


• Heavy, thick-walled metal shells of 1- or 2-piece construction

• Filled with GB, VX, H, HD, or HT– between 2 and 14 lbs of

chemical warfare agent

• Most projectiles not fuzed– most projectiles do not have

burster explosives loaded into shell

• Propellant charge required for firing shipped, stored, and issued separately

CA41

PROJECTILES

GB projectile


PROJECTILES

• Packaged 6 or 8 to 1 pallet• All stored in igloos• Normal maintenance includes

rewarehousing, handling and inspecting for defects and leakage

Illustration of a projectile pallet


PROJECTILES

• If leakage detected, probably would be vapor for GB and liquid for H, HD, HT, or VX– effects would be confined to igloo

• Army has determined if one projectile explodes no other projectile in pallet or igloo would detonate– no projectiles can spontaneously explode

– external force such as fire or accident must occur to cause projectile to explode


MINES

• Contains 10.5 lbs of liquid VX• Contains explosives used to burst mine open and

spread its chemical warfare agent payload• 3 mines per 16-gallon, waterproof, metal drum• All mines stored in igloos• Normal maintenance handling

and inspecting for defects and leakage– leaks would be primarily

around base of mine and in side fuze well

VX land mine


MINES

• Leakage easily detected because of dissolved portions of packing supports and missing paint on mine body

• Liquid and vapors confined to vapor-proof container• Army has determined if one mine explodes other

mines in drum would detonate– mines cannot spontaneously explodes

– external force such as fire or accident must occur to cause mine to explode

Cut away of a land mine


BOMBS

• 3 types• Contain 105 to 350 lbs of GB

– depending on type of bomb

• No bombs stored with explosives• Bomb bodies are steel or aluminum alloy

GB 500 lb bomb


BOMBS

• All bombs stored in igloos• Aluminum bomb packaged individually in vapor-proof

container• Other two older steel body types usually stored

1 or 2 to 1 pallet unit

GB 500 lb bomb


BOMBS

• Normal maintenance includes rewarehousing, handling and inspecting for defects and leakage

• Leakage would probably be vapor seeping from welds on upper portion of bomb

GB 500 lb bomb


BOMBS

• Since no explosives involved, worst possible event is a liquid spill of entire contents– has never happened

– if it did, liquid confined to storage structure

– if weak concentrations of vapors reached off-site, would likely be too weak to pose hazard to civilian population

GB 500 lb bomb


ONE-TON CONTAINERS

• Industrial metal containers manufactured for storage of bulk liquids

• No explosives involved• Capacity ranges from 1500 to 1800 lbs

depending on chemical warfare agent stored

One ton containers stored at Newport Chemical Depot, Newport, IN


ONE-TON CONTAINERS

• 2 valves located on 1 end of container• 6 plugs

– 3 plugs evenly spaced on bulkhead ends

• Valves and plugs made of brass or steel• Containers stored in igloos,

metal storage buildings, oroutdoor storage yards– depending on chemical

warfare agent and location

One ton containers stored at Newport Chemical Depot, Newport, IN


ONE-TON CONTAINERS

• Normal maintenance includes painting of containers stored outside, replacing all brass valves and plugs with stainless steel ones, and inspecting for defects and leakage

• Leakage would be from the plugs or valves– any liquid released would

be confined in storage area

Maintenance inspection of valves and plugsat Deseret Chemical Depot, Tooele, UT


SPRAY TANKS

• Contain 1365 lbs of liquid VX• Constructed of 1/8-in stainless

steel• 1 tank overpacked to a large

metal, vapor-proof, modified jet engine container

Spray tank in overpack container


SPRAY TANKS

• Stored in igloos and metal storage buildings• Normal maintenance includes handling and inspecting

for defects and leaks• Vapor leaks never detected• No liquid leakage has occurred

– in unlikely event of liquid leaks, liquid would be confined to vapor-proof container


LEAKING CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENT

CA55

• Leaking liquid or vapor is controlled and contained until leaking item can be disposed of properly– leaker is sealed in approved container as soon as possible– if vapor-proof container leaking due to defective gasket, gasket is

replaced– if gasket cannot be replaced,

container is replaced– if no serviceable containers

are available, item is overpackedin larger vapor-proof container or chemical warfare agent contents are transferred to another container

Packing leaker in vapor-proof container


LEAKING CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENT

• Contamination promptly neutralized• Storage structures are sealed and equipped with air

filters during leaker containerization operations• Rockets filled with GB cause greatest concern

– due to design and large numbers

– less than 1/10th of 1% of rockets have developed leaks

• Army has developed 2 specially designed vapor-proof overpacks– leaking rockets have been stored in these leaker containers

(overpacks) and monitored for further leakage with excellent results

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STOCKPILE COMPONENTS AND THREAT

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