Evaluation of Trench Storage of Ammunition Trucks

Sie sind hier: Homepage > Suche

Evaluation of Trench Storage of Ammunition Trucks

L. K. Davis

Combat troops are often involved in operations which require temporary storage of fully-loaded ammunition supply trucks at field locations. In peacetime, such temporary storage may be required as a part of training exercises. In wartime, temporary storage sites may be established as a point for rapid distribution of ammunition to forward-based armor or artillery units. U.S. safety standards specify separation distances between individual storage units, and between the storage area and troop locations, to minimize the risk of sympathetic explosions and personnel casualties in the event of an accidental explosion of a storage unit. Although the separating distances are less restrictive for temporary storage in 'theaters of operations' than for permanent storage sites, they still pose a problem for commanders who want to concentrate a group of ammunition trucks for tactical reasons. As a possible solution to this problem, the U.S. Army Project Manager for Ammunition and Logistics (PMIAMMOLQG) developed the concept of using trenches or temporary storage of ammo trucks at field sites. Such trenches could be constructed quickly and cheaply, and would, as a minimum, reduce the risk of sympathetic detonations of closely-spaced ammo trucks, in the event that one would accidentally explode. The U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) was tasked to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of trench storage.