Ammunition dump

An ammunition depot, ammunition supply point (ASP), ammunition handling area (AHA), ammunition dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives.

Raid on Vågsøy, 27 December 1941. British commandos watch as an ammunition dump burns. (Operation Archery)

The storage of live ammunition and explosives is inherently hazardous. There is the potential for accidents in the unloading, packing, and transfer of ammunition. Great care is taken in handling these dangerous explosives so as not to harm personnel or nearby ammunition.

Despite the intensive preventive measures they get, ammunition depots around the world suffer from non-combat fires and explosions. Although this is a rare occurrence, there are devastating consequences when it does happen. 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 limited 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 leveled.

Typical elements

Ammo Bunker (S-1008), located Southwest of Vosler Dr. (formerly Alaska Dr.), at the Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus (formerly Williams Air Force Base), in Mesa, Arizona. Built in 1925 by Webb, Del E., Construction Company. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places ref: 95000759.

The typical ammo dump will have several of the following elements:

Field sites

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.

See also

References

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