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To: Gandalf_The_Gray

What if they were able to mix the contents and immediately blow up the explosives in the round?

We're talking about the same people who drive trucks packed with explosives into buildings, etc...

One guy driving, the other in the back of the van working the shell. At the right time, the driver steps on it, the guy in the back mixes the chemicals and lights the fuse... how about that scenario? It may not work 9 out of 10 times. But do you really think they wouldn't try?


222 posted on 05/18/2004 12:54:46 PM PDT by nuffsenuff
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To: nuffsenuff
One guy driving, the other in the back of the van working the shell. At the right time, the driver steps on it, the guy in the back mixes the chemicals and lights the fuse... how about that scenario? It may not work 9 out of 10 times. But do you really think they wouldn't try?

Probably they will try. But check out mvpel post #36:
The chemical artillery shell is designed to be stable in normal rough armed-forces handling, and only mix the two components thoroughly when fired from a howitzer and spun at 15,000 RPM by the rifling of the howitzer's barrel.

It takes considerable force to break the barrier between the two components in the shell. This force is provided in normal deployment by the forces accelerating the projectile down the gun tube. The extremely high rate of spin provides the through mixing.

I really can't believe that good-soldier-Achamed is going to take a mallet and screwdriver and accomplish the same feat. Even if he manages to breach the barrier separating the chemicals, he stands the risk of mixing just enough sarin to kill himself and the driver.

The explosive charge carried by the shell is designed to split open the projectile. The shell is intended to be airborne and traveling with considerable velocity to ensure through dispersal of the liquid. It is not likely that a shell exploded, sitting in the back of a truck, would do much more then the "IED" detonated by our EOD personnel at the side of the road (the "dud").

It's seems hard to believe but binary weapons (as well as nuclear explosives) are designed with safety in mind. This is done to insure safe storage and transport as well as to prevent you from killing yourself with your own sword.

Regards,
GtG

324 posted on 05/18/2004 4:24:35 PM PDT by Gandalf_The_Gray (MY rights are not subject to YOUR approval!)
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