As part of the drive to become a multi-domain operations capable force in keeping with the National Defense Strategy, the Joint Munitions Command’s demilitarization campaign plan seeks to modernize its key capabilities to create a resilient and agile logistics system for munitions. The resiliency of JMC’s system is built on the health of the munitions stockpile and the ability to flex workforce to effectively outload during contingency operations. To maintain the health of the stockpile, a modernizing force necessarily obsoletes, excesses, and eventually disposes of any unserviceable assets in its control; for munitions, this is referred to as demilitarization (demil), defined as “the act of eliminating the functional capabilities and inherent military design features from DoD personal property (DODI 4160.28).”
JMC works to provide lethality that wins through a robust sustainment profile of production, storage, transportation, and demilitarization of joint service conventional munitions. In order to provide combatant commands with the right mix of lethality options, the JMC depot network and commercial partners work tirelessly to ensure that unserviceable and obsolete stocks are demiled from the system – in an environmentally compliant manner – while maintaining critical storage capabilities that enable strategic readiness and provide flexibility for the future force to posture and execute war wherever and whenever needed.
The demilitarization campaign plan, part of JMC’s strategic divestiture line of effort, contributes to increased readiness, agility, and resiliency through a reduction of munitions in the demil stockpile toward an end goal of less than 100,000 short tons. This goal maximizes available space for new production and agile re-positioning, while providing a base of demil trained personnel to keep up with annual generations and flex for contingency out load.
To enable the goal of reaching 100,000 short tons, three primary task areas were identified. Planning, budgeting, and funding the efforts take the lead by identifying requirements, evaluating capabilities and applying resources at the right place and time to maximize output. Next comes execution of organic and commercial demil efforts, where modern tools like the Logistics and Modernization Program Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence are being leveraged to identify and address inefficiencies in the process before they become significant. Finally, the Ready for Demil Common Operating Picture integrates the technology and process development enablers that ultimately increase JMC’s ability to demil into a feedback loop for the planning and budgeting portion.
Demilitarization of munitions is a team effort between JMC, the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. The JMC and partners collaborate to program resources and develop the necessary technology, capabilities, and processes to safely demil munitions for the end of the munition’s or family of munition’s acquisition lifecycle. Through this collaboration, a demilitarization enterprise strategic plan was developed to provide an overarching guide to munitions demilitarization efforts.
In the most recent demil enterprise strategic plan, four goals were instituted:
1) Efficiently reduce the demil stockpile by maximizing use of the capacity of the organic and commercial industrial base.
2) Continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of demil capabilities within the enterprise.
3) Implement design for demilitarization for all new and modified conventional ammunition products.
4) Increase the use of closed disposal technologies, resource recovery, and recycling.
In line with these goals, a conventional munitions strategy for the next five to ten years was developed to look at big stockpile concerns and challenges to target. In particular:
1) Improved conventional munitions along with cluster munitions and landmines,
2) Armor penetrating munitions,
3) Smoke/flare/illumination production munitions, and
4) Insensitive munitions.
Combined, the first three categories represent over 50% of the demilitarization stockpile. Insensitive Munitions only recently entered the demil stocks, but is projected to be a significant technological and quantity challenge in out years, based on current production.
The demil campaign plan goal of driving the demil stockpile down to 100,000 short tons requires a multi-disciplinary team across multiple commands. Due to the forward leaning nature of our business, in taking care of the munitions before they become a safety problem, we’re able to focus on reducing environmental impacts while maximizing our available dollars for clearance of storage space. While budgets may fluctuate, providing a constraint on what may be accomplished and how, JMC’s enterprise strategy guides demil efforts, and the JMC campaign plan ensures the Command’s goals remain nested with higher headquarters priorities.
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