Reconnaissance Report), shown in Figure 1-5, and by preparing a checklist covering the following points:
Access routes. The area should have a primary and an alternate access route. Road surfaces must be capable
of handling 12-ton stake and platform (S&P) trailers.
Natural barricades. These are features (such as hills or mountains) that reduce the blast and fragmentation
hazards produced by the detonation.
Prevailing winds. The site should be downwind of inhabited areas and ammunition storage locations.
Cleared area. The area around the detonation or burning site must be free of combustible material for a 200-
foot radius. You must ensure that the area is clear, or that it can be cleared to meet this requirement by your
unit personnel or by engineer-support personnel.
High ground. The selection of high ground ensures proper drainage throughout the year.
Television or radio transmitters and power lines. The site must be at least 400 meters from short-wave
transmitters and 1600 meters from high-frequency transmitters. If any television or radio transmitters are
present, refer to TM 9-1300-206 and FM 5-25 for specific minimum distances. The site must be at least 155
meters from electrical power lines.
Airspace. Due to the blast effect of detonation, operators of military and civilian aircraft must be aware of
ammunition or explosive destruction sites. AR 95-2, Air Traffic Control, Airspace, Airfields, Flight Activities
and Navigation Aids, dated 10 August 1990, outlines the organization and functions of regional airspace
subcommittees and establishes uniform procedures for handling airspace problems.
Operating area. The site selected must be large enough to accommodate the required work areas, personnel
shelters, ammunition holding areas, and detonation and burning sites. You must refer to TM 9-1300-206, TM
9-1300-277, and FM 5-25 for required distances based on the types and quantities of explosives involved. All
disposal sites must be 300 feet from personnel shelters, and a 10-foot distance is required between the
detonation and burning points and the area where ammunition or explosive boxes are being opened. Capping
operations must be 25 feet from the area where ammunition or explosive boxes are being opened. Intraline
distance must be maintained between the detonation and burning points and ammunition awaiting destruction.
Physical security. Ensure that the area can be secured.
EOD coordination. All aspects of the disposal operation should be coordinated with EOD personnel. Note
that badly-damaged ammunition, duds, and deteriorated ammunition that constitute an explosive hazard must
be disposed of by EOD personnel. EOD personnel may also be required to dispose of other ammunition
when it is beyond your unit's capability to do so.
Explosive Limits
There are two types of explosive limits at a disposal site. The first is the quantity of explosives you can detonate
at one time. The second is the quantity of explosives allowed to be temporarily stored at the destruction site at
any time. The quantity of explosives is referred to as the net explosive weight (NEW). It is based on the amount
of explosives contained within a single round of ammunition.
If you are working at an established destruction site, the NEW allowed to be detonated at one time will already be
established; if not, the NCOIC/OIC will establish these limits by starting with a small NEW and increasing the
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