The U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot and Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant will reinforce a limited supply of single round containers for problematic munitions with propelling charge canisters from excess U.S. Navy stock.
“Prop canisters give us an operational flexibility to manage reject munitions in an operational environment within PCAPP,” said Walton Levi, site project manager, PCAPP.
Reject or problematic munitions cannot be processed through the main plant, either due to issues with disassembly or leaking due to deterioration. They are overpacked into a container and stored securely to await destruction in one of the plant’s three Static Detonation Chamber units.
Dozens of U.S. Navy prop canisters were shipped to PCD after discussions between PCAPP, PCD, the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity and the Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. The Department of the Army expects to save more than $4 million by sending 1,600 canisters in total to the depot.
“Our success not only lies with just finishing the job, but being able to work together as a team to find solutions to finish it safely,” said Col. Michael Cobb, commander, PCD.