Depleted Uranium Missiles

[ClubMed]

Are these still being used?
Or are they banned?

[no1_vern]

Missiles? no

Depleted Uranium slugs/bullets yes. The weight to size ratio make them supurb tank killing weapons. And as such it will contiune to be used until enough outcry has been made to out weigh its benifits.


"Depleted uranium is chemically toxic. It is an extremely dense, hard metal, and can cause chemical poisoning to the body in the same way as can lead or any other heavy metal. However, depleted uranium is also radiologically hazardous, as it spontaneously burns on impact, creating tiny aerosolised glass particles which are small enough to be inhaled. These uranium oxide particles emit all types of radiation, alpha, beta and gamma, and can be carried in the air over long distances. Depleted uranium has a half life of 4.5 billion years, and the presence of depleted uranium ceramic aerosols can pose a long term threat to human health and the environment.
Depleted uranium is also used in civilian products. For example, it is used as ballast in aeroplanes (having disastrous consequences in 1992 when an El-Al jet crashed into flats near Amsterdam - depleted uranium was also involved in the recent Stansted Korean Air crash - see CADU News issue 3 for full report). It is also used in some hospital equipment. The alarming Euratom (European Atomic Energy Community) objective which will allow the 'recycling' of low-level radioactive waste in to consumer goods has also raised concerns that depleted uranium may be used in this way."

"Making weapons and other items out of the waste products of the nuclear business is a very 'convenient', very cheap, but potentially deathly way to get rid of the nuclear waste stockpiles"




REading here: http://www.cadu.org.uk/whatisdu.htm

[Avicus]

"Making weapons and other items out of the waste products of the nuclear business is a very 'convenient', very cheap, but potentially deathly way to get rid of the nuclear waste stockpiles"

Well, killing people is the point when we're talking about projectiles... right? :P

[ClubMed]

Yes Avicus but as far as I have understood from my readings, the depleted uranium, can travel very far and hit many people, soldiers and civlians. Also it remains in the soil, water etc.. causing harm for billions of years.

So even after a war is over, and after soldiers leave, the effects continue.

Not only does it harm the enemy, but the own soldiers too.

Anyway I am just wondering if this material is still being used.

I know we have some people in the army here, perhaps they could give us some insight on this.

[Theophylact]

Not to put too fine a point upon it, but lead is pretty toxic too.

The radiation hazard of U-238, with a half-life of 4.5 billion years, is negligible.

[ClubMed]

Yeah but lead has not had the same effects as DU Theo has it? You're a chemist, so I hope you could shed some insight on it.

I am watching an interview with the Dir. of www.umrc.net right now, on Al Jazeera TV, it's very imformative and shocking, since I am not in the field of science it's all new to me.

[Epidemic]

The risks of the uranium in your article seem very close to that of lead combined with a day in the sun.

I will need to find some more sources to decide if this is the appocalypse weapon or just another bullet.

[Theophylact]

Chemist, yes; toxicologist, no. I can't swear to the details of Uranium toxicity. But lead is infamous, and (worldwide) a far bigger problem.

[no1_vern]

It isnt an apocalypse weapon its just a heavier, slightly more dangerous bullet.