Depleted Uranium Ammunition

[Deleted]

Gamdwelf, most soldiers are not exposed to DU shells in any way whatsoever. See below.

I'd also like to highlight for most people that DU tends to be used almost solely in Anti-armour weaponry - tank shells, 30mm cannon shells, etc, not small arms ammunition (Rifles, machine guns, etc), and tank armour - the M1A3 has some DU in there to keep it tough. I believe the T90 does the same, not that there are any in Iraq or Afghanistan to my knowledge.

While I don't dispute the logic and possibility that depleted uranium, when it starts to break down definitely could cause problems, I wouldn't figure it's common enough to blame for all the increases in cancer cases as quoted by one person above - I'd say more likely there is a breakdown in infrastructure and higher prevalence of common carcinogens such as degrading plastic and fumes from fires. Ingestion or inhalation of DU is far more likely to cause stomach or lung cancer than Leukaemia.

Furthermore, can someone cite sources for all the problems DU is causing?

[Clevername]

Want to know why 75% of soldiers come back from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental or physical ailments?

I'll give you a hint...(depleted uranium).

We send healthy people out of our country only to see sick ones return, for what reason?

Oh yeah to destabilize the middle east.

I'm not saying depleted uranium rounds are not the culprit by any means but seriously there is so much bad stuff in the air, environment in Iraq. Before I came over here I was given a myriad of vaccines, every morning I wake up to the smell of burning trash and diesel fuel, the streets (while getting much better in Baghdad) are still littered with trash and debris, the concept of modern sanitation is alien to them, couple that with the fact that I share a compound with Ugandans and Peruvians who have to be forced to wash their hands when they enter the chow hall and not to defecate in the showers and yeah pretty good chance you're going to get some kind of nasty bug over here.

[jazen]

The A-10 Warthog uses those in their twin miniguns. 1000 50cal rounds from each gun will go through tanks like tin foil.

A-10 uses a Gatling style 30mm cannon that sets in the nose of the plane. Largely ineffective against modern main battle tanks, it is primarily used against non-tank vehicles and other non-hardened targets.

---------- Post added 2012-02-14 at 10:13 AM ----------

Gamdwelf, most soldiers are not exposed to DU shells in any way whatsoever. See below.

I'd also like to highlight for most people that DU tends to be used almost solely in Anti-armour weaponry - tank shells, 30mm cannon shells, etc, not small arms ammunition (Rifles, machine guns, etc), and tank armour - the M1A3 has some DU in there to keep it tough. I believe the T90 does the same, not that there are any in Iraq or Afghanistan to my knowledge.

While I don't dispute the logic and possibility that depleted uranium, when it starts to break down definitely could cause problems, I wouldn't figure it's common enough to blame for all the increases in cancer cases as quoted by one person above - I'd say more likely there is a breakdown in infrastructure and higher prevalence of common carcinogens such as degrading plastic and fumes from fires. Ingestion or inhalation of DU is far more likely to cause stomach or lung cancer than Leukaemia.

Furthermore, can someone cite sources for all the problems DU is causing?

Quoted for truth. DU is used on the modified M1's and more recently made models. Large plate of it on the front of tank to deter penetrator rounds..With the addition of reactive side plates, M1's are fairly indestructable in their current combat setting.