Pine Bluff Arsenal
Encyclopedia
The Pine Bluff Arsenal is a US Army installation located in Jefferson County, Arkansas
, just northwest of the city of Pine Bluff
. PBA is one of the six Army installations in the United States that store chemical weapons. PBA supplies specialized production, storage, maintenance and distribution of readiness products, and delivers technical services to the Armed Forces and Homeland Security. PBA also designs, manufactures and refurbishes smoke, riot control, and incendiary munitions, as well as chemical/biological defense operations items. It serves as a technology center for illuminating and infrared munitions and is also the only place in the Northern Hemisphere where white phosphorus munitions are filled. Its Homeland Security mission includes first-responder equipment training and surveillance of prepositioned equipment.
, the plant expanded from making magnesium and thermite incendiary munitions to a chemical warfare manufacturing facility as well, producing lethal gases and chemical compounds installed in artillery shells and specifically designed bombs.
In an incident after World War II, several captured German rockets containing mustard agents were accidentally launched into the surrounding countryside.
Biological weapons operations were conducted at PBA from 1953 to 1969; but operations ceased when President
Nixon
banned biological weapons after public outcry over Agent Orange
. Between 1954 and 1967, at least seven different biological agents were produced at the facility. All biological agents were destroyed between 1971 and 1973.
For decades the arsenal stored chemical agent rockets (GB55's) and during the 1980s these were defueled and the warheads destroyed. Mustard agent, VX, G and Sarin were stored in large bunkers on the premises.
Pine Bluff Arsenal was also the home for the Binary Chemical Weapons
Facility. The facility was to create the two toxic agents - QL
and DF
- that would combine to form VX
as well as build the bombs to deliver the nerve agent. Construction of the facility began in the mid-1980s and was mothballed prior to completion in the early 1990s as part of the chemical weapons treaties.
The Associated Press reported a leak in a container of white phosphorus was suspected to have ignited the fire that destroyed a warehouse at the Pine Bluff Arsenal on June 6, 2005. White smoke from the fire was seen as far away as six miles. When the fire was extinguished, approximately 19 hours later, officials reported the fire destroyed more than 7,500 canisters of white phosphorus. In the same article the AP reported. "The Pine Bluff Arsenal is home to 12 percent of the nation's chemical weapons stockpile, and destruction of nerve and mustard gas weapons began recently."
Jefferson County, Arkansas
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Its population was 77,435 at the 2010 United States Census. It is included in the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area. Jefferson County's county seat and largest city is Pine Bluff...
, just northwest of the city of Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
. PBA is one of the six Army installations in the United States that store chemical weapons. PBA supplies specialized production, storage, maintenance and distribution of readiness products, and delivers technical services to the Armed Forces and Homeland Security. PBA also designs, manufactures and refurbishes smoke, riot control, and incendiary munitions, as well as chemical/biological defense operations items. It serves as a technology center for illuminating and infrared munitions and is also the only place in the Northern Hemisphere where white phosphorus munitions are filled. Its Homeland Security mission includes first-responder equipment training and surveillance of prepositioned equipment.
Capabilities
Capabilities of the center include: chemical defense and test equipment; individual and collective chemical protection and decontamination systems; chemical materiel surveillance program; machining, fabrication and assembly; specialty ammunition production; less than lethal ammunition production; and quality assurance and joint logistics services.History
PBA was established in November 1941 for the manufacture of incendiary grenades and bombs. It was originally named the Chemical Warfare Arsenal but was renamed four months later. The mission expanded to include production and storage of pyrotechnic, riot control, and chemical-filled munitions. At the height of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the plant expanded from making magnesium and thermite incendiary munitions to a chemical warfare manufacturing facility as well, producing lethal gases and chemical compounds installed in artillery shells and specifically designed bombs.
In an incident after World War II, several captured German rockets containing mustard agents were accidentally launched into the surrounding countryside.
Biological weapons operations were conducted at PBA from 1953 to 1969; but operations ceased when President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
banned biological weapons after public outcry over Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
. Between 1954 and 1967, at least seven different biological agents were produced at the facility. All biological agents were destroyed between 1971 and 1973.
For decades the arsenal stored chemical agent rockets (GB55's) and during the 1980s these were defueled and the warheads destroyed. Mustard agent, VX, G and Sarin were stored in large bunkers on the premises.
Pine Bluff Arsenal was also the home for the Binary Chemical Weapons
Binary chemical weapon
Binary chemical weapons or munitions are chemical weapons wherein the toxic agent is not contained within the weapon in its active state, but in the form of two chemical precursors, physically separated within the weapon...
Facility. The facility was to create the two toxic agents - QL
QL (chemical)
Isopropyl aminoethylmethyl phosphonite , also known as O- O'-ethyl methylphosphonite, is a precursor chemical to the nerve agent VX.-Uses in chemical warfare:...
and DF
Methylphosphonyl difluoride
Methylphosphonyl difluoride , also called methyl difluorophosphite, methylphosphonic difluoride, and difluoromethylphosphine oxide, is a chemical weapon precursor. It is a Schedule 1 substance in the sense of the Chemical Weapons Convention...
- that would combine to form VX
VX (nerve agent)
VX, IUPAC name O-ethyl S-[2-ethyl] methylphosphonothioate, is an extremely toxic substance whose only application is in chemical warfare as a nerve agent. As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations in UN Resolution 687...
as well as build the bombs to deliver the nerve agent. Construction of the facility began in the mid-1980s and was mothballed prior to completion in the early 1990s as part of the chemical weapons treaties.
The Associated Press reported a leak in a container of white phosphorus was suspected to have ignited the fire that destroyed a warehouse at the Pine Bluff Arsenal on June 6, 2005. White smoke from the fire was seen as far away as six miles. When the fire was extinguished, approximately 19 hours later, officials reported the fire destroyed more than 7,500 canisters of white phosphorus. In the same article the AP reported. "The Pine Bluff Arsenal is home to 12 percent of the nation's chemical weapons stockpile, and destruction of nerve and mustard gas weapons began recently."