O-002 NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center (NIMIC)

Having proven its value during a three-year Pilot phase, the NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center began operations in NATO Headquarters, Brussels in May 1991. This paper presents an overview of the evolution of NIMIC: its concept formulation in NATO AC/310, its Pilot phase years, and the Center as it exists today.

These introductory comments are followed by an in-depth discussion of the following: the NIMIC management structure including its Steering Committee function; the input, content and maintenance of information in the database; the background and technical expertise of the staff of munitions experts; the analytical capability of the NIMIC in providing support to the munition design community in areas of insensitive munitions and safety; and the procedures by which one may request NIMIC technical assistance.