Insensitive Munitions Technology Development

Ernest L. BAKER; Ernest L. BAKER

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Tytuł: Insensitive Munitions Technology Development ; Insensitive Munitions Technology Development

Abstrakt:

The concept of Insensitive Munitions, or IM, is not new; the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been working to improve the safety of munitions since their inception. The first NATO standard on IM, STANAG 4439: Policy for Introduction and Assessment of IM, was published for ratification in 1995 and was ratified in 1998. U.S. Congress passed the „Insensitive Munitions law” in 2001 that specifically requires „The Secretary of Defense [to] ensure, to the extent practicable, that insensitive munitions under deployment or procurement are safe throughout development and fielding when subject to unplanned stimuli”. These unplanned stimuli take the form of rapid or slow heating events, such as a fuel fire on a vehicle or aircraft, or an adjacent fire in a vehicle or storage magazine; impact by fragment or bullets due to shrapnel from nearby explosions or small arms fire from combat or terrorist events; sympathetic reaction due to the detonation of adjacent munitions; and shaped charge jet attack from rocketpropelled grenade or similar weapons used by enemy and friendly forces. In 2007, U.S. DoD focused its efforts on developing joint solutions through a centrally managed IM technology program: the Joint IM Technology Program (JIMTP). There have been numerous JIMTP IM technology development successes and transitions to munition systems. The U.S. DoD will continue to develop new munitions to meet increased performance requirements to respond to various threats and enable lethality overmatch in any scenario.Using today's available technology to obtain higher performance typically translates to a worse IM response. As a result, the U.S. DoD will continue to develop IM technology in order to assure safety and reduced vulnerability while improving munitions performance.
; The concept of Insensitive Munitions, or IM, is not new; the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been working to improve the safety of munitions since their inception. The first NATO standard on IM, STANAG 4439: Policy for Introduction and Assessment of IM, was published for ratification in 1995 and was ratified in 1998. U.S. Congress passed the „Insensitive Munitions law” in 2001 that specifically requires „The Secretary of Defense [to] ensure, to the extent practicable, that insensitive munitions under deployment or procurement are safe throughout development and fielding when subject to unplanned stimuli”. These unplanned stimuli take the form of rapid or slow heating events, such as a fuel fire on a vehicle or aircraft, or an adjacent fire in a vehicle or storage magazine; impact by fragment or bullets due to shrapnel from nearby explosions or small arms fire from combat or terrorist events; sympathetic reaction due to the detonation of adjacent munitions; and shaped charge jet attack from rocketpropelled grenade or similar weapons used by enemy and friendly forces. In 2007, U.S. DoD focused its efforts on developing joint solutions through a centrally managed IM technology program: the Joint IM Technology Program (JIMTP). There have been numerous JIMTP IM technology development successes and transitions to munition systems. The U.S. DoD will continue to develop new munitions to meet increased performance requirements to respond to various threats and enable lethality overmatch in any scenario.Using today's available technology to obtain higher performance typically translates to a worse IM response. As a result, the U.S. DoD will continue to develop IM technology in order to assure safety and reduced vulnerability while improving munitions performance.