Ammunition beyond what a host nation requires for its legitimate defense needs is simply not worth the cost to secure it or worth the risk posed by an accident or its theft. Poor security and accountability of conventional ammunition can lead to its theft and illicit use in crimes or terrorist activities. Improper management of ammunition stockpiles poses grave dangers to the local population and to those who attempt to use it. Poor storage, transportation, and stockpile surveillance procedures can lead to deadly ammunition accidents caused by the deterioration of the propellant stabilizer in ammunition beyond its serviceable use.
Read more: The issue of conventional ammunitionAssistance options
The aim of all assistance measures is to enhance the safety of SALW/CA to prevent dangers related to the storage and the handling of SALW/CA. The safety of ammunition is essentially determined by the aspects of material and construction safety of ammunition, physical safety and security protection measures, and personnel and organizational measures for the safe handling of ammunition.
Read more: Basis Principles for Assistance MeasuresAAM air-to-air missile
AAP Allied Administrative Publication
AASTP Allied Ammunition Storage and Transport Publication
ADF ammunition demilitarization facility
AGM air-to-ground missile
AH anti-helicopter
ALARP as low as reasonably practicable
ANFO Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil
AP anti-personnel
APB ammunition-process building
APE ammunition-peculiar equipment
ASS ammunition storage site
AT anti-tank/ammunition technician
ATGM anti-tank guided missile
ATGW anti-tank guided weapon
ATO ammunition technical officer
AU African Union
AUW all up weight
AV anti-vehicle
CA Conventional Ammunition
CCW Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
CMD conventional munition disposal
Read more: AbbreviationsYou can find here a list of terms related to SALW and Ammunition:
Abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO): Explosive ordnance that has not been used during an armed conflict has been left behind or dumped by a party to an armed conflict, and is no longer under control of the party that left it behind or dumped it. Abandoned explosive ordnance may or may not have been primed, fused, armed, or otherwise prepared for use.
(ammunition) Accounting: Information management systems and associated operating procedures that are designed to record, numerically monitor, verify, issue, and receive ammunition in organizations and stockpiles.
Ammunition: A complete device (e.g. missile, shell, mine, demolition store, etc.) charged with explosives; propellants; pyrotechnics; initiating composition; or nuclear, biological, or chemical material for use in connection with offence, or defence, or training, or non-operational purposes, including those parts of weapons systems containing explosives (cf. Munition).
Read more: Glossary of SALW/CA terms