Study Confirms Depleted Uranium (DU) Munitions Usage

Posted At : August 21, 2007 8:01 AM | Posted By : Admin
Related Categories: Military Ranges

Big Island, Hawaii A study and survey conducted by the Army at the Pohakuloa Training Area confirmed the use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions on the ranges. The DU usage was suspected to occur during the 1960s when Davy Crockett guns were reportedly fired on the ranges.

Although the study confirmed that DU was used on the ranges, air sampling tests conducted did not find any elevated levels of radiation in the area. This is not a surprise to scientists and engineers as DU itself only gives off low levels of radiation and unless the DU munitions themselves are handled and broken (i.e. causing tiny fragments to be dispersed into the air), the chances for a substantial release of radiation is minimal. Although still an environmental concern, a few DU rounds sitting undisturbed or buried on a range for over 45 years poses minimal hazard to the public or trespassers compared to the acute explosive safety risk caused by UXO on a range. DU is more of a hazard to UXO Technicians who handle or come into direct contact with the items during range clearance operations. This hazard is minimized or managed by the use of proper personnel protection equipment (e.g. gloves, long sleeve shirts).

This is not the only case of DU usage by DoD in Hawaii. As reported by UXOInfo.com last year, remnants of DU rounds were found by the Army during the range clearance and cleanup of Scholfield Barracks in O'ahu.

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Knowing the Davey Crockett didn't use DU in its main projectile, is it safe to assume the spotter gun did?
Otherwise, that weapons system wasn't responsible for the DU.

# Posted By Ed Lindey | 8/21/07 6:00 PM

In this case, I think the real problem this DU study causes for DoD and the Army is not necessarily an environmental one but a public perception one. The general public gets scared or nervous when they hear terms like radiation and DU. This public perception issue only seems to be elevated in areas such as Hawaii where the public is highly skeptical of DoD to start. But whose to blame them, as their skeptism is fueled in part by the Army as they reportedly made announcements or statements in the past that DU was ever used on the ranges.

# Posted By A. Bray | 8/21/07 6:11 PM

This story does not surprise me as the lack of detailed historical munitions usage data is a problem that faces every range across DoD both operational range and other than operational ranges (i.e. former or closed ranges). What DoD needs is a better way to manage, save, and archive munitions usage information associated with ranges. Although updated to DoD policy and new reporting requirements such as the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) have improved DoDs record keeping on ranges, I still think there are major issues with the records that DoD keeps today let alone historical data.

# Posted By Hien Dinh | 8/21/07 8:31 PM