An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point (ASP) or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives.
The storage of live ammunition and explosives is inherently hazardous. There is the potential for accidents in unloading, packing and transfer; the threat of theft, misuse or sabotage; and, if neglected, the near-certainty that poorly stored explosives will catch fire and/or degrade and become shock-sensitive over time.
Despite intensive preventive measures, ammunition depots around the world suffer from non-combat fires and explosions - rarely, but mostly with devastating consequences. Usually, an ammunition depot experiencing even minor explosions in one of its sites/buildings, is immediately evacuated together with surrounding civilian areas. Thus, all of the stored ammunition is left to detonate itself completely for days or weeks, with very limted attempts at firefighting from a safe distance.[1] If the ammunitions are artillery shells and other heavy types, the whole depot site affected is typically levelled.
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The typical ammo dump will have several of the following elements:
Ammunition dump as a term is more commonly ascribed to sites that store munitions "in the field" for imminent or immediate use. These are often targets for enemy artillery attack or air attack.
Technical guidelines on the safe management of ammunition stockpiles
About old undersea ammunition dumping (and historical pollution).