risc Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 I just saw some show last night on TV, can't remeber which show was it or when it was on (Canadian TV) about how the depleted Uranium AP shells for Americans tanks affected Americal soldiers in Desert Storm 1991 campaign. There were reports by doctors saying that soldiers were affected and some of the tankers actually died due too much exposure to the radiation of the AP shells... I heard that about 10,000 uranium depleted shells AP were fired from American tanks. It was very interesting, anybody saw it ? Thanks a lot being and the good side Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dschugaschwili Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 Pretty hard to believe if you ask me. The half-life of depleted Uranium (i.e. U238) is 4.5 billion years, so the amount of radiation emitted by these shells should be EXTREMELY low, probably even much lower than the natural radiation. Dschugaschwili [This message has been edited by Dschugaschwili (edited 02-08-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s bakker Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 I gathered that is wasn't the radiation that much but the fact that by every hit (and onsequent brew-ups of soviet AFV's) tiny quantaties (spelling?) of uranium dust got into the air. The stuff in 'dust' form is said to be highly toxic. Just my guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 The radiation of the DU when in shell form is minimal. It is what happens when it hits a target and the outer layers get vapourised and carried in the air and inhaled by troops that is worrying. America should begin seeing a spike in the number of lung cancer cases in 5 to 10 years which will last for at least another 10 years. Of course, lung cancer can be blamed on tobacco or 2nd hand smoke and the link to DU won't be conclusively proven . Thus the govt can get out of paying compensation etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risc Posted February 8, 2000 Author Share Posted February 8, 2000 yeah Fionn, looks like the Gov. is pretty much covered. It looks pretty funny, like: Gee lets see how could we get rid off some unwanted readiation material, why don't we shoot it at the enemy, not only we get rid off the material but we as well kill someone with it, brilliant !!! They said on TV that soldiers got affected by loading these shells into the tanks, as well as breathing the air when the tanks were firing as well as breathing the air around the enemy's destroyed vehicles... Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 I don't buy the "they got a dose loading the shells" explanation since the shells have a shell on the DU to prevent that... Also I think the dose gotten when the shell is fired is probably minute. I think that eventually they'll find that standing near Iraqi tanks was the main cause since when one was standing near them one would have beene xposed to a much greater concentration of vapourised DU than one could possibly have gotten from the gun tube when one opened the breech block. Of course, no-one has REALLY tested this whole thing out... Maybe they were afraid of the results eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heibis Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 All this talk of American victims makes me wonder: What about the Iraqi soldiers (and civilians), they surely must have been more affected, being on the recieving end of such ammunition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 The jury is still out on this one, I think. One of the other concerns is that vaporized dust in the impact area settles into the earth, and is then redistributed by wind, plowing, and vehicle traffic for years to come. The greatest hazard was to occupants of the penetrated vehicle (due to vaporized DU in their immediate atmosphere), but they are likely to have significant health complications of a more immediate nature... . Handling of unfired DU ammunition has even been dismissed by most critics as a contamination hazard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L.Tankersley Posted February 8, 2000 Share Posted February 8, 2000 I have a friend that saw someone in the Gulf using a DU penetrator as a paperweight. Of course, he also saw soldiers sealing their tents so they were as nearly airtight as possible and then venting the exhaust from diesel generators into the tent to keep themselves warm. ------------------ Leland J. Tankersley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted February 9, 2000 Share Posted February 9, 2000 Heibis, Any Iraqis who were in tanks which were hit by DU would be HAPPY to die from Oat Cell Carcinomas . I'd imagine that given the devastating nature of such an impact the lucky ones were the ones who died immediately and didn't die from burns hours or days later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EScurlock Posted February 9, 2000 Share Posted February 9, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Fionn: Also I think the dose gotten when the shell is fired is probably minute. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Perhaps even non existent. The dart like penitrator never comes in contact with the barrel of the gun, only the discarding sabots. ------------------ He who gets there the fastest with the mostest wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compassion Posted February 9, 2000 Share Posted February 9, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Heibis: All this talk of American victims makes me wonder: What about the Iraqi soldiers (and civilians), they surely must have been more affected, being on the recieving end of such ammunition?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Te Iraqi tankers would be more upset if they weren't all dead. The DU shells are effective that way. Almost always a nice brewup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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