1991, Iraq and Kuwait (Gulf War) DEPLETED URANIUM DIRTY BOMB;

This is distilled from: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity ; 64:93-112 (2003)
Properties, use and health effects of depleted uranium (DU):
< http://fhp.osd.mil/du/environmentalEffects.jsp >
Pentagon PUKES like to hide the truth in plain sight!!!

4.2. Military applications

The A-10 aircraft is equipped with one gun firing 3900 rounds per minute. A typical burst of fire of 2–3 seconds involves 120–195 rounds. Normally the DU ammunition is present in about 75% of the rounds, the rest consists of non-DU ammunition.

The shots hit the ground in a straight line and, depending on the angle of approach, hit the ground 1–3 m apart and cover an area of about 500 square meters. The number of penetrators hitting a target depends upon the type of target.

In most cases not more than 10% of the penetrators hit the target (CHPPM, 2000). When the penetrator hits a hard object, e.g. an armored vehicle, the penetrator pierces the metal sheet, generally leaving the jacket behind.

The DU dust which may be formed during impact can be dispersed and contaminate the environment. It is estimated that normally 10–35% (and a maximum of 70%) of the DU penetrator becomes an aerosol on impact or when the DU catches fire (Harley et al., 1999). Most of the dust particles have been reported to be smaller than 5 µm in size which keeps them airborne for an extended time, and will spread according to wind direction.

ACCESS < http://fhp.osd.mil/du/environmentalEffects.jsp > to read their "SPIN DOCTORS' TEXT":

4.2. Military applications
In the early 1970s, the US Army began researching the use of depleted uranium metal in kinetic energy penetrators and tank armor. High-density materials such as tungsten (density 19.3 g/cm3) and DU (density 19 g/cm3) were considered. DU was
ultimately selected due to its availability, price and pyrophoricity (Danesi, 1990; Anderson et al., 1997). Tungsten has a much higher melting point (3410 °C) than uranium (1132 °C) and lacks pyrophoricity. Therefore, a tungsten projectile becomes
blunt on impact and is less effective in piercing armor (Peterson, 1999).

During processing DU penetrators are hardened by reducing the carbon content and by alloying with 0.75% by weight of titanium (Bukowski et al., 1993). The surface of a DU penetrator ignites on impact (especially with steel), due to the high temperature generated by the impact and the relatively low melting point of uranium (1132 °C). In addition, the projectile sharpens as it melts and pierces heavy armor (Rostker, 1998).

DU projectile impacts are often characterized by a small, round entry hole (US-ACS, 1995). The 30-mm DU rounds, which were used by the US air force in the Gulf War and in Kosovo, can pierce steel armor up to a thickness of 9 cm.

This DU 30-mm ammunition consists of a conical DU penetrator of 95 mm length, a diameter at the base of 16 mm and a weight of approximately 280 g. The penetrator is fixed in aluminum casing called ‘jacket’. This has a diameter of 30 mm and a
length of 60 mm. The A-10 aircraft is equipped with one gun firing 3900 rounds per minute. A typical burst of fire of 2–3 s involves 120–195 rounds. Normally the DU ammunition is present in about 75% of the rounds, the rest consists of non-DU
ammunition. The shots hit the ground in a straight line and, depending on the angle of approach, hit the ground 1–3 m apart and cover an area of about 500 m2. The number of penetrators hitting a target depends upon the type of target. In most cases
not more than 10% of the penetrators hit the target (CHPPM, 2000). When the penetrator hits a hard object, e.g. an armored vehicle, the penetrator pierces the metal sheet, generally leaving the jacket behind.

The DU dust which may be formed during impact can be dispersed and contaminate the environment. It is estimated that normally 10–35% (and a maximum of 70%) of the DU penetrator becomes an aerosol on impact or when the DU catches fire (Harley et al., 1999). Most of the dust particles have been reported to be smaller than 5 µm in size which keeps them airborne for an extended time, and will spread according to wind direction.

DU dust is black and a target that has been hit by DU ammunition can be often recognized by the black dust cover in and around the target (US AEPI, 1995). After an attack with DU ammunition this will be deposited on the ground and other surfaces as partially oxidized DU fragments of different size, and as uranium oxide dust. According to investigations conducted at US test sites, most of the DU dust is deposited within a distance of 100 m of the hit target (CHPPM, 2000). Claims have also been made that the DU dust can travel up to 40 km and remain airborne for a considerable time (Belgrade, 2000).

The majority of the penetrators that impact on soft targets (e.g. sand or clay) are expected to penetrate the ground to a depth of more than 50 cm, remaining intact for a longtime. Hits by depleted uranium on soft targets, e.g. nonarmored vehicles or soil, do not generate significant dust contamination.

5. Military use of DU
Many of the world’s armies possess or are thought to possess DU weapons (Harley
et al., 1999). Depleted uranium weapons are regarded as conventional weapons.
Ammunition containing DU was used in three recent conflicts:
1. 1991, Iraq and Kuwait (Gulf War);
2. 1995, Bosnia–Herzegovina; and
3. 1999, Kosovo.
5.1. Iraq and Kuwait -- DU was extensively used by the US forces during the Gulf War. Apparently this is the only conflict where large DU projectiles were fired from tanks. The Air Force fired 783,514 rounds of 30 mm DU ammunition corresponding to 259 tons of DU (DoAF, 1997). The Army fired 9,552 DU tank rounds, corresponding to approximately
50 tons of DU and the Marine aviation expended DU ammunition corresponding to about 11 tons of DU.

The United Kingdom is the only other country known to have fired DU munitions during this conflict. The UK Ministry of Defense estimates that its tanks fired less than one hundred 120 mm DU rounds, corresponding to about one ton of DU.
The total adds up to 321 tons of DU.

5.2. Bosnia–Herzegovina -- About 10,800 DU rounds (approximately 3 tons of DU) were fired during NATO
air strikes in Bosnia–Herzegovina in 1994 and 1995, mainly around Sarajevo.

5.3. Kosovo -- According to NATO information about 30,000 rounds of DU were fired from A-
10 planes in Kosovo, corresponding to about 10 tons of DU. A total of 112 sites in
and close to the border of Kosovo were hit with DU ammunition.