APPENDIX H
DECONTAMINATION AND DESTRUCTION PROCEDURES
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Decontamination means removal or neutralization of a hazardous level of NBC contamination from personnel and materials. Decide whether or not to decontaminate a Dragon contaminated by NBC agents. Remove nuclear contamination (fallout) as soon as possible. However, as long as you wear the required protective equipment, you can carry and fire a Dragon contaminated with chemical or biological agents. After doing so, however, swap your MOPP gear out IAW unit SOP. Chemical and biological contaminants soak into the exposed rubber-like and plastic parts of the Dragon. You will not be able to decontaminate these parts completely. Instead of wasting your time on them, decontaminate the other parts of the Dragon that you actually touch.
H-1. CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS
Air out components to eliminate chemical agents.
a. Remove or blot extra liquid agents from all components.
b. Place the equipment outdoors in the sun.
c. Use M8 detector paper and an M256 detector kit to check the Dragon periodically, until it is safe to handle (FM 3-5).
d. To quickly reduce chemical contamination on Dragon surfaces, use hot, soapy water (do not submerge) or an M258A1 kit.
e. Use a camel's hair brush, ethyl alcohol, and lens paper to gently clean the lens.
f. Avoid using DS2 and STB, the standard decontaminants, because they can damage the Dragon weapon system's sensitive electronic components.
H-2. BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
Eliminate biological agents as follows:
a. Wash the Dragon with warm, soapy water.
b. Dry the Dragon.
c. Clean the lens with lens-cleaning solvents (or ethyl alcohol) and lens paper.
H-3. NUCLEAR AGENTS
Do not remove nuclear agents until all fallout has stopped. Then remove them as follows:
a. Move away from the fighting position and brush clothing and equipment thoroughly to remove fallout.
b. Decontaminate individual equipment by brushing, wiping, and scrubbing.
c. Turn over the soil to decontaminate the immediate area around the position.
d. Use the AN/PDR-27 radiacmeter to verify that the Dragon is decontaminated.
Section II. DESTRUCTION GUIDANCE
If soldiers cannot evacuate the Dragons, then the unit should destroy first the sights, then the rounds. Destroying the same component in all weapons prevents the enemy from assembling a complete Dragon. Soldiers destroy Dragons by mechanical or explosive means, gunfire, or fire. Some procedures require the use of explosives that may not be authorized. The commander must decide whether to issue these and related materials. If the situation requires the destruction of Dragons, the commander orders the unit to destroy them where the debris will obstruct the enemy but will not endanger friendly soldiers. Each organization and installation that uses, maintains, or stores Dragon missiles or sights should specify in its SOP how to destroy them. The destruction plan should allow for any situation. It should state priorities and methods of destruction; it should provide clear instructions for each method of destruction; and it should specify the quantities of explosives required.
H-4. DESTRUCTION OF SIGHT
When you destroy the sight, use one of the following methods:
a. Explosives. Double-prime an explosive charge (at least 1/2 pound). Place the charge on top of the sight. Detonate the explosive electrically or nonelectrically.
b. Gunfire. Well-aimed shots from rifles or other small arms can make the sight useless to the enemy. When using small-arms fire, aim for critical parts such as the lenses, trigger assembly, and the electronics package.
c. Mechanical Means. Smash the sight with axes, picks, crowbars, rocks, and so on, or drive over it with a tracked vehicle. If you have enough time and personnel, destroy the sight completely.
d. Fire. After doing as much damage with the other methods, use vehicle fuels and lubricants to burn whatever is left of the sight.
H-5. DESTRUCTION OF ROUND
When you destroy the missile, use the following methods:
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WARNING DO NOT use mechanical methods to destroy live missiles. |
a. Launching. The easiest and best way to destroy the missile is to fire it into enemy territory. After doing this, smash the launcher with axes, picks, and so on, or drive over it with a tracked vehicle.
b. Exploding. Explosives not only destroy the missile, but also the launcher. Placing one-half pound of explosive material on the round near the warhead should destroy the round (Figure H-1).
Figure H-1. Explosive charge on a round.
(1) Determine whether you can use electric blasting caps and wire or nonelectric blasting caps and safety fuzes to prime and detonate the explosive charges.
(a) If you prime the charges with electric blasting caps, take cover before firing them.
(b) If you prime the charges with nonelectric caps, crimp them onto at length of safety fuze at least 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) long. Once you prime the charges, ignite the safety fuzes and take cover at once.
(2) Use detonating cord to connect the charges. This produces a simultaneous detonation. Dual-prime the charges to reduce the possibility of a misfire.
c. Burning. If time allows after you have done as much damage as you can to the components using the other methods, burn the debris. Use vehicle fuels and lubricants to aid burning. You can also place one or more incendiary grenades on each component or part.
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DANGER
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