L-147 Insensitive Munitions Response Descriptors Technical Meeting - Summary Report - Session I

The needs of the safety authorities to accurately assess the results of expensive and very limited IM testing1 calls for a review of the current IM response descriptors with the idea that an improved process would provide an assessment method with definitive thresholds.

Since its inception MSIAC (formerly NIMIC) has promoted the introduction of reduced vulnerability munition solutions and improved safety considerations. As a record of success the IM signature was developed to simply indicate the response of each munition. National technical experts have indicated, however, that definitive measures are required to assist expert assessment panels in uniformly and consistently determining the response levels. Arbitrary levels could lead to determinations of response levels that do not fully reflect improvements in safety.

The workshops already held, which worked on this area were in favour of a measure of damage using unprotected personnel as the yardstick. This Technical Meeting attempts to build upon prior international collaboration (particularly the work done through AC/326 Sub-Group (SG) 3, to develop and publish Edition 2 of STANAG 4439 and AOP-39) that sought to improve the IM assessment process and be a recognised standard for all nations.