Cut and Capture System Technology for Demilitarization of Underwater Munitions

From 2019 through 2022, Gradient Technology conducted five demonstrations of its cut and capture system technology for the underwater demilitarization of unexploded ordnance or munitions and explosives of concern. The goal of these demonstrations was to validate its underwater suite of tools. The proprietary technology for underwater demilitarization of munitions utilizes a suite of tools that accomplish the following: 1) clean a munition of external bioencrustations using a high-pressure waterjet cleaning tool, 2) position a cut and capture apparatus on the munition, 3) cut an access hole in the side of the munition using a high-pressure entrainment-style abrasive waterjet cutting head, 4) remove the resulting plug, 5) wash out the internal contents of the munition using a high-pressure washout head, and 6) capture the effluent generated during operations without leakage to the environment. These demonstrations have shown that the cut and capture system can reliably operate underwater at depths less than 100 feet of sea water in which the supporting equipment is located above water on the deck of a vessel, barge, or pier.