Explosive result
DMO’s dusty devastation in Woomera

A grey cloud on the Woomera horizon – the detonation. Photos by Capt Andrew Pakjakka, JLC

Darryl Bennett , ADI and an Army ammunition technician prime 500-pound bombs for demolition.

Aircraft bombs that were disposed of.

By Capt Andrew Paljakka

AMMUNITION technicians recently brought devastation to Woomera when they detonated 33 tonnes of explosives at the remote base.

Called Dusty Devastation Two, the munitions disposal activity was organised by DMO’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Branch to destroy items that were unsafe or no longer required for use by the ADF.

Ammunition technicians from 10FSB travelled to Woomera to set up an ammunition field workshop so that disposal personnel could spend five days unpacking and preparing more than 10,000 white phosphorous grenades, thousands of 81mm mortar rounds and pallets of 500-pound aircraft bombs for the great bang in the outback.

Preparation turned to execution when the explosives were detonated, resulting in a massive grey cloud and the loud crump of the explosion, which could be heard over four kilometres away.

10FSB’s WO Ammunition Technician, WO2 Leon Pennington, said the key to a successful demolition operation was to use the high-explosive munitions to destroy the low-explosive munitions.

“This prevents the kick-out of unexploded ordinance across the range,” he said.

“In our case the blast was very clean, with all ordinance destroyed in the first instance, which allowed us to move straight onto the next task.”

The next task began the next day, with preparations for the burning of a large quantity of unserviceable pyrotechnics.
It took three days to prepare the ordinance, which was positioned in a purpose-dug trench.

The burn was then initiated and the technicians stood back to let the fire do its work.

Once the burn had finished and the mandatory cooling- off time had passed, a clearance was conducted, which revealed that very little material remained, confirming the disposal activities had again been efficiently conducted.

The Ammunition Technical Trade is looking for mature and intelligent individuals who are interested in an exciting and challenging career as an Ammunition Technical Officer or an Ammunition Technician. Call the Army Logistic Training Centre on (02) 6055 4215 or the Senior Ammunition Technician on ((02) 6055 4646 for more information.