Publications - Energetic Materials

Since its founding over 15 years ago, the NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center (NIMIC) has been dedicated to the acquisition, compilation and analysis of information pertaining to insensitive munitions (IM).

Reduced sensitivity RDX (RS-RDX) has generated much interest in recent years in the IM community. This material, when incorporated in some high explosive formulations, can confer reduced shock sensitivity compared with equivalent formulations made with normal-sensitivity RDX.

The effect of ageing upon reduced vulnerability energetic materials and related Insensitive Munitions (IM) technologies is of great interest to many nations.

In November 2003, a workshop was held in Meppen, Germany with the aims being:

The development of Insensitive Munitions (IM) has been progressing for over three decades. Every since the highly publicised US Navy aircraft carrier accidents in the 1960s to 1980s, there has been a growing recognition of the value of IM.

In November 2003, a workshop was held in Meppen, Germany with the aims being:

In connection with NATO Committee AC/326 Sub-Group I on Energetic Materials, the USA has accepted a task to revise STANAG 4022 (Edition 3) "Specification for RDX (Hexogene) for deliveries from one NATO nation to another".

The most effective method for achieving a successful Insensitive Munition (IM) design is to use a systems approach. The three key elements in the IM systems approach are:

The MSIAC Steering Committee has tasked MSIAC staff to facilitate/coordinate international efforts to answer issues related to IM ageing and the risks posed by it.

RELEASABLE TO NATO AC/326 COUNTRIES