From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FLAWED AMMO COULD INCINERATE TANK CREWS,' UNIONS WARN 161610 JUL 00 By Andrew Woodcock, Political Correspondent, PA News, Unions today warned that potentially fatal flaws in ammunition intended for British tanks could "incinerate" their crews by jamming their gun barrels. Test engineers carrying out trials on shells produced for Challenger 2 tanks have uncovered severe faults, said TGWU organiser Jack Dromey, who has seen leaked copies of the Royal Ordnance engineers' reports. Mr Dromey told PA News that the danger to crews has arisen from a Ministry of Defence decision which will lead to the closure of Britain's only factory producing shell propellant, Royal Ordnance Bishopton, Renfrewshire. The ú100 million contract to develop a 120mm round for the ú3.5 million Challenger 2 tanks - codenamed Charm III - was awarded to Royal Ordnance's owners BAe Systems last December and is intended to produce ammunition that can be used for the next 20 years. BAe Systems is trialling propellant for the shells produced by German company Nitrochemie, with the intention of shutting Bishopton by May 2002 because the MoD has refused to enter into an agreement to retain in Britain the strategic capacity to manufacture propellant, said Mr Dromey. He said: "Test-firing at the Ridsdale range (in Northumberland) has left soot and debris in the gun barrel, demonstrating fatal flaws in the Nitrochemie propellant. The specialist engineers who trialled the German product have warned that its use might incinerate tank crews." The trial reports leaked to the TGWU state: "Preliminary results indicate there are likely to be significant problems with the propellant manufactured by Nitrochemie. "A major improvement is required. The risk of some degree of programme delay might thus be significant." They say that the shells have a tendency to suffer cracks in their cases at low temperatures, with the result that the corrosive propellant leaks out. Problems are also highlighted with the shells sticking in the gun barrels and damaging them. An MoD spokesman told PA News: "Trials have been conducted by Royal Ordnance on potential suppliers of propellant as part of their assessment programme to ensure that their products do meet all the stringent performance and safety requirements of the MoD's Ordnance Board. "There is no question of the MoD allowing or Royal Ordnance supplying unsafe propellants to be used in service." He added: "We can categorically say we have no problems with any in-service propellant charge supplied by the Royal Ordnance." Mr Dromey dismissed the comment about in-service propellants as "weasel words", saying: "That is because it is the tried-and-tested Bishopton factory that has met the needs of our armed forces for half a century. The problem is not the reliable present but the uncertain future if Bishopton closes." He added: "Both ministers and managers told a Commons Defence Select Committee inquiry last year that safe and reliable alternative sources of supply were available overseas at a cheaper cost. "We warned them that they were suffering from a dangerous illusion. This damaging evidence must now cause a rethink." The TGWU has sent copies of the test reports to the Select Committee and is meeting Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon with other defence unions on July 26 to urge him to insist on British-produced propellant. They are seeking fresh talks with BAe Systems on a package to retain the manufacturing of propellant at Bishopton. Tory shadow defence secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused the Government of seeking to hide the true extent of the problem, saying: "This is not about information. This is about the lives of our servicemen and women who may be asked to go into battle with defective equipment." Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Menzies Campbell said: "Whilst this is yet another sad chapter in recent history of MoD procurement, there's no point the Tories getting indignant as the projects which are coming unstuck now were started when they were in government. "When we ask men and women to risk life and limb we have a moral obligation to provide them with the very best of equipment. "Challenger 2s were late into service because of turret problems. Weakness of this kind will dent their prospect of export orders." Kenneth Pantling Nock's Grim Truth - In proportion as you give the State power to do things for you, you give it power to do things to you; and the State invariably makes as little as it can of the one power and as much as it can of the other. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
