On December 11, 2020 the Pueblo, Colorado team commenced their 105mm projectile destruction campaign.  The Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) team is now completing destruction of over 383,000 105mm projectiles in their main plant. 

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The team completed a rigorous decontamination and mechanical conversion effort to prepare the plant for the new projectile size.  In parallel, an Operational Readiness Review was conducted on plant, paper and people elements to verify readiness.  Seven Integrated Operations Demonstrations were performed by the team spanning from receipt of chemical weapons to final handoff of energetics removed from these rounds to the Amentum team in Anniston, Alabama for destruction there.  Kim Jackson, Amentum Project Manager at PCAPP noted “What an amazing year of accomplishments despite challenges from COVID-19 and the magnitude of changing conditions over the year.  I could not be prouder of our team.”

 

The team also completed commissioning of the first of three new Static Detonation Chambers to process problematic 4.2” mortars using technology which will reduce the need for maintenance entries into contaminated areas of the facility.     The SDC teams have started their training evolutions to prepare for agent operations in 2021.

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Mark Evans, SVP for NSS commented “The Pueblo team continues to perform to the highest of standards and remains on track to complete destruction of the U.S. largest remaining stockpile in advance of international and legislative requirements.  Their rigorous commitment while doing highly hazardous work, along with that at Blue Grass and across our international projects, helped propel this sector to its best safety performance in 18 years – and now they are once again setting the bar high for this fiscal year. ”