O-060 Cost Benefit Analysis of the Introduction of Insensitive Munitions

The NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center sponsored a two-part workshop under the title "Assessing the Risk and the Cost Benefits associated with the Introduction of IM". This paper focuses on the second part of the workshop entitled Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA). Based upon the conclusions from the Risk Part of the workshop, the main objective was to bring together experts in costs and benefits of IM to discuss and to establish a methodology to assess the costs and associated benefits (operational, financial, political, environmental and H&S) for each stage of the life cycle of an IM/MURAT munition in an existing or new weapon system (compared with a non-IM system). This document summarises the activities, conclusions and recommendations of the workshop.

Conclusions including recommended assessment methodologies of cost-benefits and stakeholder concerns about IM are presented, along with a discussion of issues raised and the gaps identified. The NIMIC CBA model (CBAM) developed during the workshop preparation phase is briefly described.