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Written question asked by Matthew Offord (Conservative) on Monday, 30 November 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 December 2020. It was answered by Jeremy Quin (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 December 2020 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Seabed: Bomb Disposal

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether using the Deflagration system to disarm unexploded ordnance on the seabed is as effective as total destruction.

Answer

It has been assessed that both High Order and Low Order techniques are effective at disarming unexploded ordnance on the seabed and have been considered by the Royal Navy to meet the requirements in the underwater environment. Techniques used will vary based on the size, type and age of the ordnance that is being disarmed.

While both High Order and Low Order techniques can render safe unexploded ordnance in the underwater environment, High Order procedures significantly reduce the likelihood of a partial disposal of an item. This not only reduces the chances of environmental residue on the seabed but also significantly reduces the explosive risk to the returning diver or Remotely Operated Vehicle that must confirm that Explosive Ordnance Disposal action has been completed. In the event that a partially disposed item is displaced from its original resting place and obscured in the underwater environment, there is a risk that the explosive remnants will be re-discovered inadvertently by the general public (fishing industry and civilian diving) creating a further disposal task.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
122664
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Bomb disposal Seabed
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk