JOTP-011
5 December 2014
7.4 LEVEL 3 (BREAKDOWN TEST AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS (BTCA)) INSPECTION.
a. Level 3 (BTCA) encompasses Level 1 and 2, but also includes disassembly for internal
inspection. This is typified by destructive inspection assessing the chemical (composition, hazard
properties, etc) and physical (tensile, hardness, etc.) properties of not just the explosive materials,
but also of other critical engineering materials contained within the test item. The requirements in
Appendix E encompass safety critical and energetic ageing matters.
b. Reduced BTCA is permitted in the Empirical Test Flow to eliminate most of the
energetic material assessments described in paragraphs E.2.7.2 through E.2.7.6, with the exception
that essential energetic material tests are required in accordance with E.2.7.2.b. The selected
energetic material tests should be based on an assessment of the energetic material properties
required to demonstrate safe transport and launch of the munition. For example, stabilizer
concentrations should be measured for all double base propellants.
8.
S3 TEST PROGRAM OVERVIEW.
Two approaches for S3 Testing, Analytical and Empirical, are presented in Appendix B. While
both of these approaches provide satisfactory confidence in the S3 assessment of any munition
type, there are inherent benefits in terms of cost and test efficiency that tend to associate the
Analytical S3 Test Approach with large, complex munition systems and the Empirical S3 Test
Approach with the smaller, less complex munition systems.
8.1 ANALYTICAL S3 TEST APPROACH.
The Analytical S3 test approach, as shown in Figure 3, evaluates the munition condition following
sequential environmental testing by rocket motor firings, BTCA and component tests. This
approach requires fewer test assets than the Empirical S3 approach and is generally applicable to
large ship, submarine, and remotely launched land munitions.
a. This approach requires the minimum number of assets since it provides the highest level
of component level test data for all safety critical components. Note, non-safety critical
components (e.g., guidance and control sections) may be removed from the munitions and replaced
with structural mass simulants. The recommended sample quantities for the Analytical S3 test
approach are shown in Appendix B, Annex 1, Tables B1-1 and B1-2 and illustrated in the test
flowcharts in Appendix B, Annex 1, Figures B1-1 and B1-2.
b. Firing safety tests are required for munitions designed to be fired from the SLC under
the Analytical S3 Test Approach. These firings demonstrate safe egress of environmentally
stressed munitions from the launch canister. These test assets may have mass simulants in place
of non-safety related components, if flight performance is not a test requirement.
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