Expired Ammunition Handling Needs Strict SOPs, These Are US And UK Standards

JAKARTA The explosion of expired ammunition that killed 13 people in Garut, West Java, Monday, May 12, raises public questions about how expired ammunition should be handled safely and professionally. Countries such as the United States and Britain have implemented strict procedures in handling and destroying these high-risk ammunition.

In the United States, the handling of expired ammunition is carried out in special facilities such as the McAlter Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP), Oklahoma. This facility is tasked with dismantling unused ammunition, separating recyclable parts, and destroying the rest by methods such as open detonation, controlled combustion, or mechanical destruction.

The Components that can no longer be used are usually destroyed through open detonations or burning in safe locations,'' as explained on the official McAlter Army Ammunition Plant website quoted from Wikipedia.

In the UK, the Ammunition Technician (AT) unit of the Royal Logistic Corps is tasked with handling the entire life cycle of ammunition, including annihilation. AT personnel are trained to identify, secure, and neutralize dangerous ammunition. The destruction was carried out with strict protocols in isolated locations, away from residential areas.

They are responsible for inspection, storage, and destruction of ammunition, as well as handling explosives deemed unsafe, explained the description of AT's duties from the British Army via Wikipedia.

The generally applicable operating standard procedure (SOP) includes:

Identification and classification of types and ammunition conditions.

Transport to a safe location with tight security.

Destruction through methods according to the characteristics of explosives.

Documentation of the entire process in detail.

The best practices of these countries emphasize the importance of site destruction far from settlements, strict zoning systems, special training for personnel, and the use of adequate personal protective equipment.

The incident in Garut occurred when the TNI destroyed expired ammunition on Sagara Beach, Cibalong District, on Monday morning at around 09.30 WIB. Although the location was far from settlement, the explosion resulted in the death of nine civilians and four members of the TNI. As of Monday night, the identification process of 13 bodies was still ongoing at the Pameungpeuk Hospital.

This tragedy is a warning of the importance of implementing international protocols in handling explosives, in order to prevent future casualties. The government is expected to immediately conduct a thorough evaluation of the SOP for the destruction of ammunition that applies within the Indonesian military.