Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- What is an “Insensitive Munition” and where did the term originate?
- The origin of the Insensitive Munition concept
- Tests to study the detonability of solid rocket propellants
- The introduction of castable plastic bonded explosives, PBX’s, in Navy munitions
- However, accidents, fires, and enemy strikes happen!
- The USS ORISKANY (CVA-34) fire and munition explosions
- The USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) fire and munition explosions
- The USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN-65) fire and munition explosions
- The ammunition ship SS BADGER STATE fire and munition explosions
- In-bore premature detonation of projectiles in Navy large caliber guns
- Interest in using new explosives to reduce the sensitivity of munitions
- Railroad train fires and munition explosions
- An opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of the new explosives technology
- NAVY formalizes a program to reduce the sensitivity of naval ordnance
- The “Bureaucracy” at work
- Department of Energy and Department of Defense Insensitive High Explosives and Propellants (IHEP) study
- VAdm. Bulkeley concerned the vulnerability of magazines on surface ships
- Navy issues an Operational Requirement (OR) for insensitive high explosives
- USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) flight deck fire and munition explosions
- Falkland war and the loss of British ships sparks a renewed interest in insensitive ordnance
- The U.S. Navy’s Insensitive Munitions program
- CNO Executive Board (CEB) briefing on the sensitivity of Navy munitions
- Implementing the CNO Executive Board’s (CEB) decision memorandum
- The technical requirements for insensitive munitions
- U.S. Allies advised of the Navy Insensitive Munition policy
- NAVSEA IM Management organization defined
- Joint service Insensitive Munition policy
- Strike weapons and IM master plans published
- Army and Air Force Insensitive Munition programs
- Revision of the Navy Insensitive Munition policy
- NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center (NIMIC) formed
- Navy decision on munitions retrofit to meet the Insensitive Munition requirements
- Navy goal of complete transition to Insensitive Munitions by 1995 revised
- International interest in Insensitive Munitions
- U.S. Navy Strike Warfare Office questions the Insensitive Munition policy
- U.S. Navy builds a facility to load PBX’s into General Purpose bombs
- Third revision of the Navy Insensitive Munitions Policy and the U.S. military standard defining the Insensitive Munitions Requirements
- France issues an Insensitive Munitions policy and requirements document
- U.S. Navy Insensitive Munitions program progress
- In conclusion
- Annex 1. CVNX Study Group memorandum
- Annex 2. Admiral Bulkeley’s “Insensitive Ordnance” memo to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, VCNO
- Annex 3 Joint Oversight Council Memorandum on Insensitive Munitions Certification Policy of 2 July 2004