NATO AASTP-1 PDF

Purpose and Scope of the Manual

The primary object of this Manual is to establish safety principles to be used as a guide between host countries and NATO forces in the development of mutually agreeable regulations for the layout of ammunition storage depots and for the storage of conventional ammunition and explosives therein. These principles are intended also to form the basis of national regulations as far as possible.

This Manual is in four parts: Part I sets out general ammunition safety principles for all explosives storage and QD for aboveground storage; Part II provides technical details for design of explosives storage magazines and operational guidelines for explosives facilities; Part III deals with underground storage; and Part IV deals with ammunition handling in special situations such as on military airfields and during the transfer of ammunition and explosives in naval ports.

A Manual of this type cannot provide the answers to all problems which arise. In circumstances where the answer is not provided the problem should be submitted to the Secretary of the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) Ammunition Safety Group (CASG), AC/326.

Since this Manual is a guide rather than a set of mandatory regulations the words "must", "should" "may/can" and "is/are" are used in the following sense:

MUST - Indicates a technical requirement which is vital for safety and the avoidance of a catastrophe.

SHOULD - Indicates a safety requirement which is important but not essential.

MAY/CAN - Indicates optional courses of action and possibilities.

IS - Indicates a fact or a valid technique.