Google Earth image of the 'gravel gerties' at AWE Burghfield. It is in these structures that the Trident warheads are assembled and disassembled. (In March 2006 the UK government scrapped censorship of maps of sensitive sites in the light of new technology such as Google Earth. Ordnance Survey maps will now show military sites.) (In March 2006 the UK government scrapped censorship of maps of sensitive sites in the light of new technology such as Google Earth. Ordnance Survey maps will now show military sites.)
PRESS RELEASE
The Report, by the independent Nuclear Information Service (NIS), examines Health & Safety Executive Nuclear Installation Inspectorate (NII) Quarterly Reports for the AWE facility over the last 18 months. NIS questions how AWE can continue to operate the 50-year-old plant when the NII is continually concerned about warheads assembly/disassembly safety issues.
“The seriousness of the problems at Burghfield became clear when the first 2007 NII Quarterly Report said NII had set up a new monthly meeting in addition to the normal regulatory process in order to lay an audit trail of AWE’s compliance with NII requirements.”
“The dilemma for the MOD is, how can it reduce warhead numbers or service warheads if the Burghfield site is closed for safety reason?”
Di McDonald, NIS Executive Director
AWE Burghfield is situated some five miles from AWE Aldermaston where nuclear warheads are produced. Warheads are transported by road from the Aldermaston site to AWE Burghfield where the final assembly of High Explosives into warheads takes place before they are transported to the operational store at the Royal Armaments Depot in Scotland.
The dilemma for the Ministry of Defence is that without the Burghfield facility, there would be nowhere for warheads due for regular servicing or emergency attention to be disassembled.
