The US and Ukraine address problem of solid rocket fuel disposal
The US has made a political decision to withdraw from the solid propellant disposition project at the Pavlohrad Chemical Plant, where fuel is being removed from RS-22 intercontinental ballistic missiles by high-pressure water washout, Brigadier General Thomas Kenning, US Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Cooperative Threat Reduction Program office manager, said on a visit to Ukraine. The US general thus broke the Pentagon’s three-month silence about its priorities in the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. Brig. Gen. Kenning thinks the decision made meets all previous US commitments under the program valid until 2006. At the same time, he stressed that the US and Ukraine continue a dialog over the final decision on solid rocket propellant disposal.
The question is about scrapping 133 engines of RS-22 (SS-24 under NATO classification) intercontinental ballistic missiles. As is known, the ICBMs and related infrastructure are being eliminated in Ukraine under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) which Ukraine joined after signing the Lisbon Protocol. In late 2000 the US Congress appropriated about $24 million for building an SS-24 solid fuel disposal installation in Ukraine. Pilot trials began in Pavlohrad in 2002. It was planned to launch a full-scale production process in 2003 and complete it in 2004. It was also intended to finish the elimination of all solid propellant in Ukraine, about 5,000 tons, by the end of 2007.
Gen. Kenning did not say what caused the US to bow out of this project and diplomatically pointed to the previous US ambassador to Ukraine, who had explained Washington’s position on this matter. As is known, Carlos Pascual said in a letter to Pavlohrad Mayor Ivan Metelytsia that the Pentagon had suspended participation in the disposition project owing to overhead expenses and the technical risks involved in converting solid propellants into commercial explosives. Yet, the US Department of Defense noted at the time that it would assess the project’s safety and find an alternative. Now the American general says the US government has achieved the goals it set in connection with this project: a water washout plant has been built in Pavlohrad and conditions created for engine storage.
Gen. Kenning admitted that both sides had continued the dialog even after the statement in May that the project was to be discontinued. Still, these talks have not yet resulted in any decisions that could be enshrined in new statements. The only result is that the US agreed to provide minimal logistical support to keep these engines in a fifteen- month safe storage, namely, to maintain a proper indoor temperature and humidity. The US general pointed out that, before deciding to withdraw from the propellant disposition project, experts had analyzed storage conditions and come to the conclusion that these engines could be safely stored for several years under stable temperature and humidity. Nevertheless, he said, “We are also aware that the longer the engines are stored, the higher the potential danger is.” He is also convinced that even if something unforeseen happens, people will not suffer because the storing place is situated at a safe distance from populated areas, adding that, while Ukraine was responsible for safety, the US funded the construction of the storage facilities and the infrastructure. Kenning believes the Ukrainians will be unable to employ the washout technique unless assisted by America’s Thiokol Company. Ukrainian representatives had already said before that the US insisted on burning the rocket fuel, which is unacceptable. Pavlohrad Chemical Plant Production Manager Yevhen Ustymenko, for example, claims there is no alternative to solid propellant disposition by water washout.
Yet, the US will be cooperating with Ukraine in other areas. The American general mentioned two other projects considered a top priority in his country: cooperation in biology and in preventing the proliferation of mass destruction weapons. On the one hand, the US is concerned that Ukraine might be unable to safely store biological agents that could be used to produce weapons of mass destruction. On the other hand, the United States is interested in joint projects that will employ Ukrainian scientists’ know- how to protect Ukraine and NATO from the dangers that biological weapons pose. Gen. Kenning said a project like this was already underway in Kazakhstan. He thinks a similar agreement can be reached with Ukraine within six months and that it was very important that funds had been appropriated for this scheme. The US budget earmarks a total $50 million for Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. $39 million was allocated in 2003 for the other project (preventing the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction) that calls for tightened border security. As these funds have not been spent, they will be earmarked for 2004 and later supplemented with another $30 million.
Brig. Gen. Kenning said eight different profile projects are now being implemented in Ukraine. The rocket fuel disposition project was carried out by the US-based Washington Group International. This project has now been canceled. The Bechtel Company is supposed to finish the cleanup of three liquid propellant storage places but will not begin any operations at other facilities.
THE DAY’S REFERENCE
Ukraine has destroyed 130 RS-20 missile launching silos and 54 RS-22 silos since 1998 under the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. 27 Tu-95, 11 Tu-160, and 22 Tu-22 strategic bombers and 483 cruise missiles had been scrapped by May 2001 thanks to American funds and technologies. About a thousand apartments have also been built for the retired missile servicemen. A contract was signed on July 12, 2002, to destroy 31 Tu-22M bombers and 225 Kh- 22 cruise missiles. A total $650 million was appropriated under the Ukrainian arms destruction program. The US is also to fund the elimination of the remaining 20 Tu-22M planes and 25 Kh-22 cruise missiles.
