JMC tests alternative approaches to conducting demilitarization operations

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. — The Joint Munitions Command has successfully completed a research, development, test, and evaluation project which identified different options for demilitarization.

The project was sponsored by the Product Director for Demilitarization with a goal to find cheaper, more readily available, and environmentally friendly ammonium nitrate based alternative donor materials to replace or augment current TNT donor supplies for open burning and open detonation operations.

Demilitarization and disposal represent the final steps in the life-cycle management of ammunition. Demilitarization plays a crucial role in supporting lethality, readiness, and warfighting.

In collaboration with the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology's Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center, JMC first evaluated several alternative donor materials in a test environment. The results identified three promising materials with adequate blast performance and the potential to meet JMC’s demil treatment standards.

The final phase of the project involved testing the three alternative donor materials on live munitions in a JMC operational environment at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma.

“The testing at MCAAP consisted of 28 shots using the alternative donor materials on standard demil munition items,” said Dr. Keith Clift, a supervisory physical scientist for JMC. “The results showed that all shots were successful in meeting MCAAP’s environmental treatment standards.

“The alternative donor materials were also evaluated for logistical considerations, including acquisition, transportation, storage, and use,” Clift added. “The study found that the materials were basically cheaper to acquire, safer to transport and store, and less environmentally impactful than traditional donor materials like TNT. Some alternative donor materials also exhibit shelf-life benefits which could be an advantage in a just-in-time supply strategy.”

The project's findings and recommendations are significant, as they pave the way for the eventual use of these alternative donor materials in support of real-world demil operations being executed at JMC installations.

“Now that the project has been concluded, it is recommended that the use of these alternative donor materials be officially transitioned to demil execution sustainment,” said Brian Willis, JMC’s demil director. “However, it is acknowledged that further evaluations are necessary to refine shot configurations and application of these materials on other potential demil munition items.

“Follow on testing is already being planned to pursue further application of these new donor materials in support of actual demil operations at MCAAP,” Willis added. “The findings of this project will continue to contribute to the development of more sustainable and efficient demil operations, ultimately supporting JMC's mission to provide safe, effective and environmentally compliant demil operations in support of munitions readiness.”

Properly managing and maintaining ammunition stockpiles through safe and effective demilitarization not only ensures critical storage capacity for new munition stocks being produced today but also enables more efficient munition outload during large-scale contingency operations necessary for sustaining munitions readiness.

Excess and obsolete military munition stocks can also begin to degrade over time, resulting in potential risks to both human health and the environment if not properly demilitarized and disposed of in a timely manner.