Explosive Materials Management Near Maritime Critical Infrastructure – Safe Disposal Considerations
[ 1 ] Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej i Transportu, Politechnika Poznańska | [ 2 ] Instytut Analizy Konstrukcji, Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej i Transportu, Politechnika Poznańska | [ SzD ] doctoral school student | [ P ] employee
2024
chapter in monograph
english
- critical infrastructure protection
- underwater detonation
- explosive hazards
- military capabilities
EN The threat related to explosive materials in the water domain has not yet gotten the attention it deserves. For many years in European Countries, this hazard was reduced to unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) or abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO). During peacetime, Europe was focused on economic growth and governments, with public support, were cutting military spending below NATO’s target of 2% of GDP (Grand, 2023). The Navy was the first victim of the mandatory budget cuts. Investments in new equipment and the development of modern procedures were put on hold. The Russian attack on Ukraine and the Nord Stream sabotage was a wake-up call for most NATO members. An attack on EU vital maritime infrastructure with the help of sophisticated improvised devices, outdated widely used weapons and explosives, or unidentified ordnance is more likely than ever. At the same time, the size of the maritime area to be protected and the nature of the threats make it difficult to track the adversary and link the explosive event to a certain country or organization. If such devices are found within important maritime infrastructure or sensitive systems, non-violent methods may be used by Navy specialists to defeat the explosive weapons. NATO commitments to strengthen maritime capabilities are visible in the increased defense spending and the demand for new equipment and capabilities.
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