Is Britain's Uranium Ammunition past its Use by Date?
Between March 10th and 14th, the Ministry of Defence and defence research company QinetiQ renewed the test firing of DU ammunition at the Dundrennan firing range near Kircudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, southern Scotland.
The story was initially broken by the BBC and triggered high levels of media interest, as well as catching the attention of policiticans and activists north and south of the border.
The MoD claimed that the tests were necessary to monitor stocks of CHARM3 ammunition as they approach the end of their shelflife. CHARM3 120mm anti-tank ammunition is now the only type of uranium munition in use by UK forces.
News of the tests drew fierce condemnation from both the Scottish Nationalists and the Scottish Greens. Green Co-convener Robin Harper MSP said: "Depleted uranium shells leave behind the kind of pollution normally associated with dirty bombs, radioactive material that damages the environment and risks future health problems. There is no safe place to test these shells, and there is no appropriate battlefield to use them on either. The MoD should be ashamed of going back to Dundrennan with this discredited technology, and should instead commit to the ban requested by the European Parliament."
Also responding to the tests, an SNP spokesperson said: "When they were serving in areas where uranium weapons had been used, service personnel were issued with warning cards. That would suggest that the UK Government were well aware of the health problems associated with its use. We want to ask the Secretary of State for Defence about the UK's position with regard to these international developments. Although we don't have any powers over defence policy we are responsible for the health and well being of the people and service personnel of Scotland."
Predictably the MoD deined that there was any danger: "Agencies and regulatory bodies responsible for health and safety and environmental protection have agreed the arrangements. Comprehensive environmental monitoring programmes involving air, water, and soil sampling, have been in place at and around Kirkcudbright since the beginning of the DU munitions trials."
Ten days after the firing ended, and in response to a parliamentary question, Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said: "The shelf life of the stockpile is due to expire in 2009 and, as is normal practice where there is a continuing requirement, arrangements were made to extend its life. As part of the life extension programme, rigorous in-service surveillance testing is required to ensure that the munitions remain safe and suitable for continued service. The final element of this process involved live proof firings at Kirkcudbright."
The response to the tests raises interesting questions over the continued use of CHARM3. The UK is tied into CHARM3 because of the type of gun barrels that the UK's Challenger tanks use - unlike the rest of NATO who use ammunition that can be fired from each other's tanks. CADU reported last year that trials were underway for a new main gun on the UK's Challenger tanks, one that would allow greater levels of interoperability between states. The news that CHARM3 is now approaching the end of its life raises the question of what will replace it, and when?
Perhaps more importantly, how long will UK forces continue to use ammunition that is degrading and presumably more likely to misfire and disintegrate in the barrel?
