ABSTRACT
Explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, pyrophorics, and other reactive substances are used extensively in ordnance to provide different effects. High explosives are broken into three groups: primary, secondary, and main charge explosives. For a munition to function as designed, explosive components from all three groups are arranged in order of decreasing sensitivity. The military has unique requirements due to the extreme environments in which ordnance is used. For example, in the United States, all materials required to make an explosive must be available in the lower 48 states, which ensures availability and deters reliance on foreign sources. Understanding how military ordnance operates and functions requires a basic understanding of energetic and other hazardous compounds. The chapter introduces the basic principles and unique attributes of energetic and other hazardous materials used in military ordnance. Every country utilizes a variety of high explosives in ordnance.
