DU in the Gulf War (90-91)

The Gulf War in 1990 – 91 was the first occasion that DU was deployed and fired operationally. MOD’s assessment is that tanks used fewer than 100 rounds against Iraqi Forces during Operation Granby in the Gulf in 1991: this equates to an expenditure of less than 1 tonne of DU. Additional rounds were fired by UK Forces during earlier work-up training in Saudi Arabia to establish the round’s Mean Point of Impact. Also during the Gulf Conflict, the Royal Navy fired some DU rounds from the Phalanx CIWS, but purely for proving purposes, and not during hostilities. The ammunition was brought into service for the conflict, in order to enhance the ability of the UK Challenger Main Battle Tank to engage the latest models of ex-Soviet Tank. It was recognised at the time that the use of DU in battle would have consequences because of the nature of the DU oxide debris which would exist after it was fired at hard armoured targets. On 14 January 1991 the Directorate of Land Services Ammunition issued Technical Ammunition Bulletin No 21/2024 dealing with these issues. This bulletin was declassified and made public in a written Parliamentary answer to the Countess of Mar on 2 February 1998. A copy of the letter and the bulletin was placed in the Library of the House.

This advice is directed at Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) staff, whose job would include making safe ranges where DU had been fired, and battlefield EOD. It says that DU is slightly radioactive, and chemically toxic (paragraph 3); that on striking a target DU oxide is dispersed into the atmosphere (paragraph 5); that DU contamination is relatively harmless unless ingested or absorbed into the bloodstream (paragraph 9); and that individual protective measures should be taken when dealing with DU residue or fragments including the wearing of gloves and respirators (paragraph 10).

Another document on DU during the Gulf campaign was also identified. It was made public in response to a written Parliamentary answer on 30 November 2000 [Official Report, 30 November 2000, Col 728W]. As the answer says, it is suggested that a subsequent signal was sent promulgating this advice to other units in theatre. So far, however, no evidence has been found amongst the records to confirm that this was done. The signal is reproduced (in its original form, and transcribed for clarity) at http://www.mod.uk/linked_files/signal_to_1armdiv.pdf. This signal, sent on 25 February 1991 from the Ministry of Defence was in response to inquiries by the Commander Medical at 1 UK Armoured Division about the possible risk from respirable DU dust on the battlefield. It explains that DU oxide dust presents a low alpha particle radiation risk, and a heavy metal risk. It advises the wearing of respiratory equipment, gloves and overalls to minimise risks. The references to the S 10 respirator, which provides a higher level of protection than industrial type masks, may be related to the fact that all service personnel in the Gulf would have the S 10 as part of their individual protective equipment, whereas stocks of industrial masks might have been less easily available.

Information which came to light in 1993

It was originally believed in the Ministry of Defence that the contents of TAB 21/2024 were communicated during the Gulf War to all those who might come into contact with DU ammunition, although it was not drafted for that purpose. However, it was discovered in 1993 that only certain groups had been given this advice. We believe that it was issued to EOD personnel and to Ordnance Corps personnel involved in the transportation and storage of the ammunition, but it appears that it was not seen by tank crews. These facts were aired publicly in an exchange of Parliamentary Questions and subsequent correspondence in June and July 1993. We have placed on the internet copies of the PQs on 23 June 1993, 5 July 1993 and 20 July 1993, together with the letter dated 13 July 1993 from the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

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Last Updated: 22 May 03