‘Deto-Stop’ anti-explosive material a mistake
You are in charge of the committee investigating the issue of Deto-Stop anti-explosive material. When will a decision be made? In 2001, a contract was signed for the installation of Deto-Stop anti-explosive material in army vehicles (including tanks and other armored cars as well as in new tank trucks and in the repairs of existing ones). It would then be put in fuel storage tanks far from inhabited areas and vital installations. Also, at the suggestion of Greece, a condition was included about the installation of Deto-Stop in new tanks in the sales contract with Germany. A similar attempt was made to use the material in the Navy, but it was unsuccessful. The financial cost of this undertaking has not been estimated, but it is quite high, running to tens of millions of euros. This material has not been used either by the German or US militaries, or according to our information by any other NATO army. It is very expensive. For example, the cost of installing it in a metal fuel tank is higher than the cost of constructing the tank itself as well as filling it with fuel. The experts say that, from an operational and technical viewpoint, there is no benefit. If a tank is hit, it will be out of action in any case and likely won’t create conditions (in temperature and pressure, for instance) to cause an explosion. In fuel tanks where the system has been installed, there have been observations suggesting serous hazards in functioning and maintenance. Both myself and the Armed Forces officers who are knowledgeable about it believe the entire issue of installing these anti-explosive devices is a fallacy. I am certain that a ruling will be forthcoming at the most senior levels of the Army General Command very soon. I am doing my duty.
