O-087 Reduced Sensitivity RDX - Where are we?

July 2004

Duncan Watt (Energetic Materials), Frédéric Peugeot (Warhead Technology), Ruth Doherty (NSWC - Indian Head, USA), Michael Sharp (DOSG, UK), Darko Topler (WTD 91, GE), David Tucker (DSTL, UK)

In recent years much interest has been generated in a quality of RDX which, when incorporated in PBX formulations, can confer reduced shock sensitivity. Clearly, this is of interest to the Munitions Design community who strive towards reducing the vulnerability of munitions. Currently, despite the efforts of many laboratories worldwide, there are no agreed analytical methods for discriminating between the different RDX sensitivity grades at the crystal level.

Following approval by the NATO/AC-326 Main Group, the NIMIC/pilot MSIAC, in support of AC-326/Sub-Group 1 (Energetic Materials) and the Custodian nation of STANAG 4022, the United States, held an experts meeting in Meppen, Germany on the 17th-20th November 2003 in order to clarify the situation. The purpose of this meeting was to:

This paper provides an evaluation of the data that are available to date on various forms of RDX and their shock sensitivities in PBXs. The possible analytical techniques that might be applied to discriminate between forms of RDX with relatively high and relatively low sensitivity are identified. The planned program for round robin testing of several types of RDX is described