NATO AAS3P-10 PDF

INTRODUCTION

This Allied Publication (AP) is aimed at the Safety and Suitability for Service (S3) Assessment Testing for Shoulder Launched Munitions as agreed under STANAG 4757. Note that AAS3P-10, Edition A was covered under STANAG 4629. AAS3P-1, as agreed under STANAG 4629, provides general discussion of Safety and Suitability for Service Assessment Testing. AAS3P-10 is intended to act as a munition type specific document dealing with the necessary safety testing and assessments for shoulder launched munitions to enter service within the NATO community. Two S3 test approaches, analytical and empirical, are presented in this AP with the intent that the manager of the test program shall select the more appropriate approach for the munition under test.

In assessing S3 it is necessary to assign some form of service life to the item. This is a prediction of the amount of environmental stress the item should be able to withstand without degrading to an unsafe condition based on a risk assessment. These predictions are less likely to be valid the longer an item stays outside of a controlled storage environment as the environment becomes more variable. In-Service Surveillance (ISS) provides the means by which initial service life estimations can be validated or revised to ensure safe and reliable use throughout the required service life. The use of a robust ISS program in conjunction with initial S3 testing of a munition provides a means to assess an item throughout its life. The through life implementation of S3 and ISS techniques is often referred to as Whole Life Assessment (WLA).

This document was developed within the international community and is written with primarily references to NATO test procedures to provide a framework for international procurement and test programs. Table I2-1 (Annex I, Appendix 2) provides cross reference of similar national and international test standards. Whilst each test standard often has unique requirements, the table does not imply the standards are the same or interchangeable.

If tailoring is determined to be necessary, the tailoring may be carried out in accordance with the following general principles:

1. The tailored environment shall be at least as severe as the expected lifecycle environment.

2. Any alternative test standards / methods that are utilised shall be technically equivalent or superior to the referenced standards / methods.

3. The tailored test procedures and severities, along with full justification / rationale shall be documented as part of the S3 assessment report.

4. Tailoring shall be approved by the relevant National Authority prior to test.