Hi Don:

"NELLIS TO RESUME DEPLETED URANIUM MUNITIONS TESTING

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- The Air Force announced today it will resume limited use of depleted uranium munitions on the Nevada Test and Training Range.

Software upgrades and ballistic testing of the ammunition for the 30mm cannon on the A/OA-10 aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2002.

"Depleted uranium munitions are absolutely critical to our future success in combat. Resuming ballistics testing will ensure our pilots have the confidence and skill to use these munitions effectively in combat," said Gen. Hal Hornburg, commander of Air Combat Command.

International media reports have raised questions about the health and environmental impacts of DU munitions used in recent conflicts. The World Health Organization, RAND and numerous other organizations have determined that the employment of depleted uranium is safe and presents no significant risk to human health or the environment.

DU's ability to penetrate armor and its increased range and accuracy over other munitions make it an ideal weapon for the A/OA-10 mission.

Currently, the Air Force tests gun-sight software with simulations and trains A/OA-10 pilots in classroom instruction, which is unrealistic and does not satisfy training requirements. Without live-fire testing and limited training, software upgrades can only be validated through combat.

The Air Force and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mutually agreed to stop the use of DU munitions at the Nellis range in 1993. The Air Force then reexamined using DU at the range and completed an environmental assessment in 1998. The assessment found no significant impact on human health or the natural environment from the use of these munitions at target complex 63-10, situated about 12 miles inside the range. Upon completion of the EA, the USFWS signed a memorandum of agreement accepting the Air Force's decision to resume testing and training.

The Air Force will implement a rigorous management and monitoring plan that covers every aspect of DU testing and training, from weapons use to clearance and disposal.

"Our plan involves life cycle monitoring, air and soil sampling, clearance and disposal of DU rounds and targets," said Hornburg. "The Nellis range is critical to our readiness. We must be good stewards of the natural resources on the range while preserving the military's primary mission."

Depleted uranium is a heavy metal that is 40 percent less radioactive than natural uranium, which can be handled safely with bare hands. DU is used in the protective armor of the Army's M1A1 Abrams tank, commercial and medicinal radiation shielding, drill bits, and as ballast to balance the center of gravity in civilian aircraft and sailboats."