Weteye bomb
Encyclopedia
The Weteye bomb was a U.S. chemical weapon designed for the U.S. Navy and meant to deliver the nerve agent sarin
. The Weteye held 160 kg of liquid sarin and was officially known as the Mk 116 (Mark 116). Stockpiles of Weteyes were transferred to Utah in the 1980s amidst controversy and protest.
during the early 1960s. The US Navy at China Lake, CA attempted to develop a massive chemical bomb with a high fill efficiency (~70%). At the same time the US Army Chemical Center worked with the EDO corporation to develop the EX 38, a 500 lb chemical bomb with unique design features: 1) thin seamless hydrospun aluminum body, 2) weighted nose, 3) large plastic fins, and 4) a system of internal baffles to keep the 10% minimum void captured in the tail section of the bomb. The prototype Weteye design, with its shaped internal burster and folding fins, was combined with the EX38 design features to create the production model of the Weteye.
The Weteye was originally developed for delivery of GB and VX nerve agents. Production was limited to filling with double-distilled GB. VX variants were not produced. During the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) there was consideration of repurposing the Weteye design to deliver firefighting chemicals to extinguish oil well fires set by retreating Iraqi forces.
In 1963, the supercarrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
(SBC-127C) was intended to contain 100 Weteyes as part of its magazine load.
In 1969 the entire arsenal of U.S. Weteye bombs were stored at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
in Colorado. Nearly all Weteye bombs stored at Rocky Mountain Arsenal were demilitarized and destroyed in 1977; however, approximately 900 Weteye bombs were not destroyed at this time.
nerve agent
.
at the Deseret Chemical Depot
. This move was opposed by many residents of Utah and the state's governor at the time Scott M. Matheson
. The transfer was controversial and Matheson continued to fight it until the U.S. Senate passed a bill which included an amendment sponsored by then-U.S. Senator Gary Hart
(D-CO) requiring the weapons be moved out of Colorado. Matheson's concern stemmed from the fact that some of the thin-shelled Weteyes stored in Colorado were leaking nerve agent.
After rounds of protests and legal action that went to the U.S. District Court the transfer went ahead. An Air Force C-141 jet carried the initial transfer of 64 Weteye bombs on August 12, 1981 to an air field at Dugway Proving Ground
. The event was heavily covered by the media. The moves continued for the next three weeks and Weteyes were moved to the south area of the Tooele Army Depot
, which became known as the Deseret Chemical Depot.
In 1996, the Deseret Chemical Depot began destruction operations of general chemical weapons. In the spring of 2001 destruction and demilitarization of the Weteyes began and the operation ended in December 2001 with the destruction of the last of 888 Weteyes.
Other issues to surface during disposal operations were high levels of mercury
contamination and the tendency of the aluminum casing to explode inside the decontamination furnace. Molten aluminum and water presents a potential explosion hazard and because the Weteye contained a liquid nerve agent the potential for an interaction of molten aluminum and the liquid agent existed. These issues combined to make the Weteye sufficiently difficult to dispose of that it required special handling.
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
. The Weteye held 160 kg of liquid sarin and was officially known as the Mk 116 (Mark 116). Stockpiles of Weteyes were transferred to Utah in the 1980s amidst controversy and protest.
History
The Weteye bomb was developed for the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the early 1960s. The US Navy at China Lake, CA attempted to develop a massive chemical bomb with a high fill efficiency (~70%). At the same time the US Army Chemical Center worked with the EDO corporation to develop the EX 38, a 500 lb chemical bomb with unique design features: 1) thin seamless hydrospun aluminum body, 2) weighted nose, 3) large plastic fins, and 4) a system of internal baffles to keep the 10% minimum void captured in the tail section of the bomb. The prototype Weteye design, with its shaped internal burster and folding fins, was combined with the EX38 design features to create the production model of the Weteye.
The Weteye was originally developed for delivery of GB and VX nerve agents. Production was limited to filling with double-distilled GB. VX variants were not produced. During the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) there was consideration of repurposing the Weteye design to deliver firefighting chemicals to extinguish oil well fires set by retreating Iraqi forces.
In 1963, the supercarrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
(SBC-127C) was intended to contain 100 Weteyes as part of its magazine load.
In 1969 the entire arsenal of U.S. Weteye bombs were stored at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was a United States chemical weapons manufacturing center located in the Denver Metropolitan Area in Commerce City, Colorado...
in Colorado. Nearly all Weteye bombs stored at Rocky Mountain Arsenal were demilitarized and destroyed in 1977; however, approximately 900 Weteye bombs were not destroyed at this time.
Specifications
The interior of the Weteye was divided into three sections. The Weteye body was composed of thin aluminum alloy. It had fins which deployed after the bomb was released. The 240 kilogram Weteye held about 160 kg of liquid sarinSarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
nerve agent
Nerve agent
Nerve agents are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs...
.
Nomenclature
Officially, the Weteye was known as the Mark 116, or Mk-116 bomb. While this was the official military nomenclature for the weapon, early in its production it acquired the nickname "Weteye". Weteye was derived from the fact that the weapon was filled with a liquid nerve agent, sarin, thus the "wet" portion of the name. The "eye" portion of the name was associated with it being developed by the US Navy at China Lake as part of its eye-series weapon program (bombs guided by the "Mark 1 eyeball"), a program intended to improve air-delivered munitions.Transfer to Utah
Demilitarization operations at Rocky Mountain Arsenal left exactly 888 Weteye bombs intact and in storage in Colorado. In 1981 the U.S. Department of Defense sought to relocate the weapons to the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal FacilityTooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
The Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility or TOCDF, is a U.S. Army facility located at Deseret Chemical Depot in Tooele County, Utah and is used for dismantling chemical weapons. Destruction is a requirement under the Chemical Weapons Convention and is monitored by the Organisation for the...
at the Deseret Chemical Depot
Deseret Chemical Depot
The Deseret Chemical Depot is a U.S. Army chemical weapon storage area located in Utah, 60 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. It is related to the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.-History:...
. This move was opposed by many residents of Utah and the state's governor at the time Scott M. Matheson
Scott M. Matheson
-External links:* from...
. The transfer was controversial and Matheson continued to fight it until the U.S. Senate passed a bill which included an amendment sponsored by then-U.S. Senator Gary Hart
Gary Hart
Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
(D-CO) requiring the weapons be moved out of Colorado. Matheson's concern stemmed from the fact that some of the thin-shelled Weteyes stored in Colorado were leaking nerve agent.
After rounds of protests and legal action that went to the U.S. District Court the transfer went ahead. An Air Force C-141 jet carried the initial transfer of 64 Weteye bombs on August 12, 1981 to an air field at Dugway Proving Ground
Dugway Proving Ground
Dugway Proving Ground is a US Army facility located approximately 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah in southern Tooele County and just north of Juab County...
. The event was heavily covered by the media. The moves continued for the next three weeks and Weteyes were moved to the south area of the Tooele Army Depot
Tooele Army Depot
Tooele Army Depot is a United States Army post located in Tooele County, Utah. It serves as a storage site for war reserve and training ammunition. The depot stores, issues, receives, renovates, modifies, maintains and demilitarizes conventional munitions...
, which became known as the Deseret Chemical Depot.
In 1996, the Deseret Chemical Depot began destruction operations of general chemical weapons. In the spring of 2001 destruction and demilitarization of the Weteyes began and the operation ended in December 2001 with the destruction of the last of 888 Weteyes.
Disposal and transfer issues
Public relations officials for the Deseret Chemical Depot asserted at the time that during the 2001 disposal operations there were "no problems". However, Eric Croddy reported in his 2005 book Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Encyclopedia of Worldwide Policy, Technology, and History that a number of issues came up during the destruction operations. One of those issues, that of leaking munitions, was an issue long before the weapons arrived at Deseret and the primary reason that Gov. Matheson and many Utah residents were opposed to the weapons transfer in the first place.Other issues to surface during disposal operations were high levels of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
contamination and the tendency of the aluminum casing to explode inside the decontamination furnace. Molten aluminum and water presents a potential explosion hazard and because the Weteye contained a liquid nerve agent the potential for an interaction of molten aluminum and the liquid agent existed. These issues combined to make the Weteye sufficiently difficult to dispose of that it required special handling.
Further reading
- "Attachment 14: Demilitarization Miscellaneous Treatment Units", Utah Department of Environmental Equality, Hazardous Waste Branch: Chemical Demilitarization Section, August 2005, accessed December 21, 2008.