THE AMMUNITION STOCKPILE RELIABILITY PROGRAM
Ammunition surveillance is an integral and essential part of the ASRP. The ASRP includes conventional and
chemical ammunition, small and large rockets, and guided missile ammunition and materiel. Another program,
called the Army Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Reliability Program (ANWSRP), applies to nuclear weapons and
materiel. The two programs may be consolidated where both nuclear and conventional or chemical munitions are
involved; however, this lesson will focus on the ASRP. The ASRP applies to the Active Army, the Army
National Guard, the Army Reserve, and all Army activities that have a receipt, storage, issue, maintenance,
surveillance, or test mission for ammunition materiel.
The objectives of the ASRP are to ensure the following:
That all ammunition entering into the stockpile meets established explosive safety and reliability
requirements.
That ammunition stockpile conditions and reliability trends are identified.
That ammunition items are identified for timely maintenance, retrograde, or disposal, and that ammunition
items with marginal reliability are identified for priority-of-use or restricted use.
That shelf life and prescribed stockpile life are established or confirmed.
That the causes of ammunition malfunctions occurring in type-classified materiel are investigated.
That a basis for corrective actions to restore the stockpile to a satisfactory condition is provided where
unsatisfactory conditions exist.
Most ammunition items are used only once, so usage and wear-and-tear factors do not apply. The storage life of
most ammunition items ranges from 5 years to more than 20 years. Therefore, the ASRP provides an on-going
program that measures stockpile reliability, ensures that ammunition and ammunition components are available
for issue and use, and ensures that they are always safe and reliable.
The ASRP consists of the following three major programs:
The ammunition surveillance program.
The stockpile function test program.
The stockpile laboratory test program.
The paragraphs that follow describe each of these program in detail.
The Ammunition Surveillance Program
The ammunition surveillance program is an important part of the ASRP. It is used to determine the functional
and nonfunctional characteristics of the ammunition stockpile. The program includes, but is not limited to, visual
inspections and tests. It is also conducted as part of the supply readiness program or other quality control
activities.
The ammunition surveillance program is established by AR 740-1 and AR 702-12. Procedures for implementing
this program are described in SB 742-1 and other supporting supply bulletins.
Wholesale and retail quantities of ammunition and related materiel stored at depots, plants, arsenals, proving
grounds, prestock points, ASPs, and using units are subject to the ammunition surveillance program.
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