Depleted Uranium (DU), is a byproduct of the process surrounding the enrichment of uranium. It has seen extensive and significant applications in both the military and civilian sectors due to its unique and powerful properties. Composed of several types of uranium, its high density makes it an effective material for armour-piercing ammunition and also armour used on tanks. Despite its name and connection to the radioactive material uranium, DU poses a reduced health risk. Studies indicate that it does not significantly raise uranium levels in areas where it has been used. However, numerous news reports continue to link its usage to elevated cancer rates and other illnesses.
This article will analyse the usage of DU in both the military and the civilian sectors, and its reported health issues and it will also display the history of its usage in warfare.
1.0 What is Depleted Uranium?
Depleted uranium (DU) is a dense metal which has been produced as a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process to create nuclear fuel. Although it is still radioactive, albeit at a much lower level than the starting uranium material, it still contains a significant level of radioactive material.
Uranium ore contains a mixture of several isotopes and it is processed in order to increase the content of the most radioactive one, U-235, which is then used in nuclear reactors in order to create nuclear energy and is also used in nuclear warheads. The by-product of this enrichment process contains less U-235 and is known as depleted uranium (DU).
Less radioactive than the naturally occurring mixture, the usage of DU depends on its high density. It is used in both the civilian and military worlds in a variety of ways.
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1.1 Military Usages of Depleted Uranium
DU is used in a variety of ways within the military. This ranges from armour plating on tanks and also armour-piercing shells.
1.1.1 Armour Plating
Tank armor made with depleted uranium material is much more resistant to penetration by conventional tank shells and other anti-armor munitions compared to traditional hand-rolled steel armor plates.
DU armor plating was designed to better protect against kinetic energy rounds. This armor was first introduced to the US Armed Forces via the M1A1 Abrams tank in October 1988. However, because DU is 1.7 times denser than lead, it added significant weight to the tank.
The first M1A1 tanks to receive DU armour laying were stationed in Germany and US tank battalions which participated in Operation Desert Storm received an emergency upgrade program. M1A2 tanks had this DU armour plating from the onset of their service and all M1A1 tanks have been subsequently upgraded to include it. This variant of the M1A1 is known as the M1A1HA (HA – Heavy Armour).
All subsequent models of the Abrams tank from the M1A1 onwards all feature DU armour yet export models such as the ones sent to Ukraine do not feature this due to the highly classified nature of the armour platings composition. This is due to fears that if an Abrams is captured it could be taken and used for developing effective anti-tank weapons which are produced for the specific purpose of destroying American tanks in the event of a conflict.
1.1.2 Ammunition
Due to the high density of DU, it has been used in a variety of forms of ammunition which are as follows:
20-30mm Rounds
Most military forces which employ DU ammunition, such as the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, use it in the form of 30mm ordnance. One example of a depleted uranium round is the 30mm PGU-14/B armour-piercing incendiary round, fired from the GAU-8 Avenger cannon on the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
Following is a list of 20-30mm ammunition which contains DU cartridge penetrators. These are either currently in use or have previously been in use with the US military. This includes but is not limited to:
- MK149 Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) – Replaced with an identical round with a tungsten core. [Source] – 20mm
- M919 Armour-Piercing, Fin Stabilised, Discarding Sabot, with Tracer (APFSDS-T) – 25mm
- PGU-20 25mm
- PGU-14/B Armour Piercing Incendiary (API) – 30mm
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Tank Rounds
Depleted uranium tank rounds are capable of penetrating tank plating or other armour much more effectively due to the density of the material. Following is a list of tank rounds which contain DU penetrators. This includes but is not limited to:
- 105mm
- M735A1 (APFSDS) – 105mm (Modification of the M735 – Never fielded)
- M774 (APFSDS) – 105mm
- M833 (APFSDS) – 105mm
- M900A1 (APFSDS) – 105mm
- OFL 105 G2 – 105mm
- APFS DS (Pakistan) – 105mm
- 120mm
- M829 Variants
- M829A1 – 120mm
- M829A2 – 120mm
- M829A3 – 120mm
- M829A4 – 120mm
- OFL 120 F2 – 120mm
- M829 Variants
- 125mm – Primarily used by Russia
- 3BM29 “Nadphil-2” – 125mm
- 3BM32 “Vant” – 125mm
- 3BM59 “Svinets-1” – 125mm
- 3BM60 “Svinets-2”
- 3BM69 “Vacuum-1” – 125mm (Reported to be uranium alloy – used on the 2A82-1M cannon on the T-14 Armata)
- 3BK21B (HEAT-FS-T) – 125mm
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1.2 Civilian Usages of Depleted Uranium
The civilian sector uses DU in a variety of ways. This includes:
- Energy – Depleted uranium is generated as a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process which creates concentrated Uranium-235. Some power-generating reactors are able to use unenriched (DU).
- Radiation Shielding – DU is often used in industrial radiography cameras due to the fact that DU is the best radiation shielding by weight. This is due to the fact that Du is able to block radioactivity as it is one of the heaviest (atomic weight) natural materials. [Source]
- Trim Weights in Aircraft – Aircraft can contain trim weights for stabilising the wings of an aircraft. However, it remains controversial because in the event of a crash, there is potential for it to enter the local atmosphere. [Source]
2.0 History of Depleted Uranium Usage
2.1 DU in the 1991 Gulf War
The United States and Britain both used depleted uranium munitions during the Gulf War campaign against Iraqi forces. There is a divided opinion over whether or not the use of depleted uranium munitions in the Gulf War has contributed to high rates of illnesses. However, a study released in 2005 found that the rate of congenital malformation amongst newborns in Iraq had risen from 3.04 per 1000 births in 1990 to 22.19 per 1000 births in 2001.
2.2 DU in the 1999 Kosovo War
NATO forces used depleted uranium munitions in their bombing campaigns in the conflict in Kosovo and Yugoslavia. Approximately 31,000 DU munitions were fired during the war, and these munitions have been linked to higher rates of cancer. Veterans of the conflict in Kosovo, primarily peacekeepers, were found to have 14 times the usual level of chromosome abnormalities in their genes.
However, although the highest depleted uranium levels were found in both Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the correlation between contamination by DU has not been found.
2.3 DU in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
The United States and allied NATO militaries used DU munitions in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. It was estimated that in a 3-week period of the war in Iraq, between 1000 and 2000 tonnes of depleted uranium munitions had been used and that during the whole of the war, more than 300,000 DU munitions had been fired.
A study was conducted following the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004 into the use of DU munitions by Coalition Forces and showed that the civilian population of Fallujah had
“The highest rate of genetic damage in any population ever studied.”
[Source, source, source, source]
2.4 DU in the War in Ukraine
The War in Ukraine has seen the reintroduction of DU munitions on a large scale. Both the UK and the US have supplied depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine for use in their fight against Russia.
In March 2023, the United Kingdom sent DU munitions for use by Ukrainian forces in Challenger 2 tanks. Similarly, the US supplied depleted uranium tank shells for the M1 Abrams tanks they provided.
However, the armour plating on the Abrams tanks that the US had sent was not the DU type that the US uses and was instead the export version which does not feature depleted uranium.
3.0 Health Concerns Linked To DU Usage
Although radioactive materials can affect the normal functioning of many organs DU has been seen to be generally less damaging. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry stated
“to be exposed to radiation from uranium, you have to eat, drink, or breathe it, or get it on your skin.”
However, the usage of DU munitions has raised concerns for the potential for both civilians and military personnel to be exposed to higher rates of cancer and or injuries associated with DU inhalation and exposure. The Institute of Nuclear Technology-Radiation Protection in Greece stated that
“the aerosol produced during impact and combustion of depleted uranium munitions can potentially contaminate wide areas around the impact sites or can be inhaled by civilians and military personnel.”
The US Department of Defense claimed that no human cancer has been seen to be present as a result of exposure to depleted uranium. However, British army doctors as early as 1997 were warning the Ministry of Defence, that exposure to DU could increase the risks of developing several forms of cancer.
[Source, source, source, source]
4.0 Incidents Linked to DU
Although the use of DU munitions is deemed safe by many governments and their associated armed forces, there are several notable incidents which may or may not be linked. This includes but is not limited to:
4.1 Gulf War Syndrome
The widespread use of DU munitions by the United States and its allies during the Gulf War from 1990-1991 has raised concerns about an illness (or collection of them) known as Gulf War Syndrome (GWS). GWS is a chronic multi-symptomatic illness which affected veterans on both sides of the Gulf War.
Since 1991 veternas have raised concerns about their health and the possibility of GWS actually existing. An assessment of veterans by the British MOD found “no evidence” of it existing.
However, increased rates of immune disorders and other conditions have been reported in over a quarter of combat veterans of the Gulf War. DU exposure was being considered as one of the causes of this.
4.2 Balkans Cancer Scare’s
In 2001 the governments of several European countries reported an increase in illnesses and cancers amongst veterans who had served in Balkan peacekeeping missions. However, the United Nations Environment Program stated that low levels of DU were found in drinking water and in the air but it was not enough to be concerned about.
In 2018 the Serbian government set up a commission into the use of DU by NATO during the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia. This was due to an increase in the rate of cancer among citizens and in particular children. However, a Serbian epidemiologist denied there had been a rise in cancer cases and that Serbians frequently worry about a cancer epidemic that does not exist.
4.4 Contamination Case – Flight 1862
The crash of Flight 1862 in October 1992 into an apartment building in Amsterdam raised concerns about unexplained health issues. These were reported to be linked to the release of hazardous materials (notably DU). However, a study released in 2000 found there was no link between depleted uranium and any of the health concerns.
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5.0 Conclusion
Depleted uranium (DU) is a highly dense material which is used in both the military and civilian worlds. Its military applications include armour plating and also extremely effective armour piercing munitions. These can penetrate armour plating at long distances and with high effectiveness. Its civilian use has been seen in aeroplane stabilisation and also power generation amongst other fields. Although it has been reported to be linked to cancer and other illnesses such as the aforementioned Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), it has been shown in studies to not be as deadly as it has been reported to be. Despite these concerns, DU and its usage, chiefly its use in munitions, is most likely to continue unless a more effective material is devised.
