NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center (NIMIC)

Cumulative international experience arising out of major accidents in which munitions were involved has demonstrated the need to design weapons that are inherently less vulnerable to accidental or combat action stimuli. Weapons that meet specific criteria for reduced vulnerability arc known as insensitive munitions. As design technology for insensitive munitions evolves, it is desirable that it does so to the benefit of all the NATO community. To meet the need of making information available to munitions designers, the concept of a NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Center NIMIC was conceived. The NIMIC concept provides a forum for technology information exchange that is intended to facilitate the efforts of munitions designers to satisfy the reduced vulnerability or insensitive munitions requirements. In May 1988, a pilot NIMIC was established with the object of determining whether the NIMIC concept is viable. This report provides the evidence on which is based the conclusion that implementation of the NIMIC concept is capable of achieving the desired objective.