ADAPTING EXPERIMENTATION AND TESTING
THE HISTORY OF MCSM
The Munitions Chemical Specifications Modernization Program can trace its origins to 2012, when a magne- sium powder manufacturer requested updates to two magnesium specs. At the time, one of the specs had not had a major update in 45 years and had recently been canceled despite still being needed for active munition production. The PM MAS SETI Division took up the challenge of working on these two specs and formed the MCSM IPT with members from the Arma- ments Center. Updating the magnesium powder specs was the beginning of the MCSM effort.
In 2015, the MCSM Program expanded to updating the aluminum powder and aluminum-magnesium alloy powder specs. In addition to being antiquated, one of the specs had not been updated since 1952. These two specs were selected because of the commonality of the testing procedures to the magnesium specs.
In 2019, MCSM IPT took on an ambitious effort of updating 13 chemical specs and began the process of prioritizing spec work. Then, in early 2020, COVID hit. The mandate to telework ceased all laboratory activities, stopping the work of verifying existing spec testing procedures and developing new testing meth- odologies. This pause in work allowed the MCSM program to partner with CEMWG and the DPA Title III program office to focus on updating specs based on their criticality to the supply base.
Regarding lab safety, every hands-on procedure is carefully reviewed and areas found to be ambiguous or dangerous are reworded in clearer language, increasing its overall safety.
agreement awards. Key to DPA Title III investments is the incentive for new domestic suppliers to share the cost of the agreements, creating a more robust and viable solution.
DPA investments, through DPA Title III authorities, aim to establish funding opportunities to create sustainable new busi- nesses or expand existing ones that will be commercially viable and successful even during fluctuations in government ordering.
MCSM PROGRAM Te main issue with chemical specs is that many are severely outdated and reference equipment no longer available or have test methods requiring the use of large amounts of toxic or hazardous materials. Prior U.S. Army funding and centralized initiatives to maintain nearly 400 specifications critical to munition perfor- mance have been discontinued.
PRODUCTION ACT TITLE III EXECUTIVE AGENT PROGRAM OFFICE “Te focus of the DPA Title III EAPO is the expansion of productive capacity and supply,” said Susanna H. Back, Ph.D., who represents the EAPO during acquisition meetings. “DPA Title III authorizes the use of economic incentives to develop, maintain, modernize and expand the productive capacities of domestic sources for critical components, critical technology items and industrial resources essential for the execution of the national security strategy of the United States.”
Back has coordinated several requests for proposals, or calls, to try to locate potential domestic producers of critical chemi- cals. If successful, the calls generally become three- to five-year
Over time, this led to manufacturers, contractors and users of those specs to not be in compliance because they could not dupli- cate the old testing methods. What was discovered was that those contractors had transitioned to using modern, efficient and effec- tive testing techniques. In addition, these new techniques often minimized or eliminated the use of toxic materials. Tis all led to the creation of the Munitions Chemical Specifications Modern- ization Program.
Te criteria originally used by the MCSM Integrated Product Team to choose which specs to work on was the oldest specs corresponding to chemicals with the highest usage within the PM MAS ammunition portfolio.
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