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An ammunition technical officer (ATO) is an officer involved in all aspects of the army, air force, and navy's use of ammunition. This includes: bomb disposal, clearance of ERW, explosives accident investigation, procurement, in service management, storage, and inspection and repair.
ATOs are generally selected as captains, exclusively from within the Royal Logistic Corps; however when an ammunition technician (AT) warrant officer (WO) or senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO) is selected for commission, their AT qualification transfers to that of an ATO. One such example is Major Peter Norton GC.
ATO training takes 20 months and requires attendance at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom Military College of Science and the Defence EOD Munitions Search School Kineton, formerly known as the Army School of Ammunition. After conclusion of the training, the new ATO may take command of an EOD troop within 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC or be employed within an ammunition squadron or ammunition depot.
In 11 EOD & Search Regiment RLC or 33 EOD & Search Regiment RE, the ATO performs, in addition to the troop commander's role, counterterrorism bomb disposal activities and IEDD within the UK, occasionally leading an EOD team. WO and SNCO ATs routinely lead those EOD teams, and when doing so are often referred to as the ATO.
ATs and ATOs can undergo further EOD training at the Felix Centre within the Defence EOD Munitions Search School Kineton. ATOs alongside ATs are the UK's ammunition experts, with many years of experience in Palestine, Aden, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and anywhere where the British Army have forces deployed and require EOD expertise and advice.
Armed forces of other nations also have ATOs, some of which are trained by the British Army. These countries include Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore. Canadian ATOs, however have not been trained by the British since 2012 and complete their training at the Royal Military College of Canada and the Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre.
The Australian Army also employs ATOs, who are members of the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC). RAAOC ATOs are trained in Australia, and this training has also been made available to members of other regional (Asia/South Pacific) Defence Forces.
The Canadian Armed Forces has a 12 month ATO programme held in 2 phases, with the academic phase at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston and the technical phase at the Canadian Forces Logistics Training Centre in CFB Borden. It is a specialization that three trades, Aerospace Engineers, Naval Combat Systems Engineering Officers and Logistics Officers, can be selected for. After completion of the course, ATOs can be employed in Ammunition and Explosives inventory management, life cycle management and execution of the Ammunition and Explosive Safety Program. [1]
The Pakistan Army has ATOs who are trained at the Pakistan Army Ordnance College. They are selected from the officers of the Pakistan Army Ordnance Corps in almost the same manner as that of the British Army ATOs. They are specialists in the ammunition field, and have many years of experience within Pakistan and other countries, such as Liberia, Congo, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Congo, CAR and elsewhere the Pakistan Army is deployed as part of the UN. Pakistan ATOs have the unique honour of handling / clearing IEDs and completing EOD Operations during War On Terror in Swat, North and South Waziristan Agencies and even in the settled areas of the countries. Most of the ATOs have specialized from CIED and EOD Trg programmes covered by British and US EOD institutes to assist the Engineers Corps as a technical expert to handle all IEDs and supervise their EOD activities and clearance of ERW. The major part of ATOs was in recent Operation Zarb-e-Azab. It is imperative to note and mention here, that, every field formation of Pakistan Army has a specified ATO appointment amongst its Staff Appointments to work as Advisor on Ammunition Matters to the Formation Commander directly. In UN, ATOs of the Battalions and Sector HQ work hand in glove with UNMAS for all EOD operations and clearance of ERW.
The role and function of the South African Ammunition Corps is to ensure that only safe and effective ammunition is supplied to the Department of Defence and other users. Their functions includes participation in research and development, quality assurance, unit inspection, maintenance and disposal of ammunition. Candidates must have a sound psychological profile exhibiting a high degree of intelligence, steadiness and an aptitude or innovative technical thinking. Learners must be in possession of a National Senior Certificate (Grade 12) or Level 4 (N3) certificate and must have passed Mathematics and Physical Science. [2]
The Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs) of Bangladesh Army are selected technically proficient and specialist officers of Bangladesh Army Ordnance Corps. They are trained at Ordnance Centre and School (OC&S) of Bangladesh Army for 32 weeks duration on various Ammunition, Explosives, EOD, CIED and IEDD, CBRNE and all management matters related to these fields. After a long, arduous training journey, the newly qualified ammunition/explosive experts are inducted into the valiant group of ATOs of the Bangladesh Army. Furthermore, many of them attain foreign training in ammunition/explosives and IED-related fields from renowned institutions across the world. The ATOs are specialists in the munitions and explosives arena, and have many years of experience within Bangladesh and other countries, such as Kuwait, Liberia, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, Sudan, CAR, Mali, Somalia and elsewhere the Bangladesh Army is deployed as part of the UN force.
ATOs of the Bangladesh Army are always ready to face any eventualities in the Field Formation, during field firing or heavy weapon firing, while working in assistance to civil administration and in overseas employment. At present, they are performing the following core responsibilities:
ATOs of the Bangladesh Army always abreast themselves with up-to-date knowledge on the latest development of trends in warfare, ammunition/explosives and IEDs, related policies and procedures, and material management as part of professional development through specialized training, self-study and interaction with experts in this field. ATOs of the Bangladesh Army also have the scope to remain updated on the EOD, CIED & IEDD and CBRN matters under the umbrella of Bangladesh Army C-IED Fusion Centre (BACFC) and Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) with renowned institutions of the world.
All responsibilities in respect of ammunition management are done by ATOs in Bangladesh Army at different capacities, such as:
| Category | Role |
|---|---|
| Ammo Operator | Assist in the handling and movement of ammo and explosive substances and articles during issue, receipt, storage and distribution |
| Ammo Processor | Inspect, maintain and repair ammo or other explosive substances and articles |
| Ammo Accountant | Accurately account for ammo and explosive substances and articles |
| Ammo Supervisor | Supervise the issue, receipt, storage, distribution and maintenance and disposal of ammo and explosive substances and articles |
| Ammo Manager | Manage the storage, issue, receipt, distribution, maintenance and stockpile management of ammo and explosive substances and articles |
| Ammo Inspector | Develop, implement and audit the policy and technical instruction for all aspects of the stockpile management of ammo and explosive substances and articles |
| Ammo Regulator | Develop National and International policy and technical instruction for all aspects of the stockpile management of ammo and explosive substances and articles |
| IEDD Operator | Plan, Supervise and Operate in the IED threat environment with advanced level theory and practical knowledge of IED device profile, equipment skills, tactics and technics analysis, practical IEDD skills including complex IED RSP formulation and execution, management and leadership Capability to provide technical advice to leadership, equipment management, task management and planning |
| EOD Operator | Locate, identify, disarm, neutralize, recover, and dispose of ERW, Conventional CBRN ammo, and criminal or terrorist devices. Requires knowledge of composition and characteristics of BD and foreign conventional, CBRN ordnance; electronics, precautions, tools, and protective equipment required for response |
| Lab Operator | Various laboratory operations for ammo cannibalization, ammo up-gradation, de-militarization, and conditioning of ammo and explosives for Bangladesh Army as well as sister services |
ATOs of the Bangladesh Army are to remain a practitioner on ammunition/ explosives-related appointments and are required to undertake diverse and multi-layered refresher and currency training to maintain the competency level; only to validate their authorization as National Ammunition experts empowered by allotted ATO number. This authorization is subject to revoke if the individual fails to perform. [5]
Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are disabled or otherwise rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the military fields of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and improvised explosive device disposal (IEDD), and the public safety roles of public safety bomb disposal (PSBD) and the bomb squad.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces which recognizes those service members, qualified as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians, who are specially trained to deal with the construction, deployment, disarmament, and disposal of high explosive munitions including other types of ordnance such as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons along with improvised explosive devices (IED) and improvised nuclear devices (IND). Also known as the “EOD Badge” or "Crab", the decoration is issued by the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The EOD Badge is the only occupational badge awarded to all five services under the United States Department of Defense.
United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians render safe all types of ordnance, including improvised, chemical, biological, and nuclear. They perform land and underwater location, identification, render-safe, and recovery of foreign and domestic ordnance. They conduct demolition of hazardous munitions, pyrotechnics, and retrograde explosives using detonation and burning techniques. They forward deploy and fully integrate with the various Combatant Commanders, Special Operations Forces (SOF), and various warfare units within the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army. They are also called upon to support military and civilian law enforcement agencies, as well as the Secret Service.
The United States Army Ordnance Corps, formerly the United States Army Ordnance Department, is a sustainment branch of the United States Army, headquartered at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. The broad mission of the Ordnance Corps is to supply Army combat units with weapons and ammunition, including at times, their procurements and maintenance. Along with the Quartermaster Corps and Transportation Corps, it forms a critical component of the U.S. Army logistics system.
William Dennis Goodchild Hunt MBE served a full career in the British Army as an Ammunition Technician (AT) and Ammunition Technical Officer (ATO) and served in the UK, mainland Europe as well as the Middle and Far East.
An ammunition technician (AT) is a British Army soldier, formerly of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps but since 1993 of the Royal Logistic Corps, trained to inspect, repair, test, store, and modify all ammunition, guided missiles, and explosives used by the British Army. These technicians are also trained to use demolition to safely dispose of individual items of ammunition and explosives (EODs) or to conduct logistics disposal of bulk stocks of multi items. After gaining sufficient experience, those who show the appropriate qualities are given extra training to render safe improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by a process called improvised explosive device disposal. Experienced ATs may be called to give evidence as expert witnesses in criminal or coroner's courts in relation to ammunition or explosives or to EOD and IEDD duties.
Major Peter Allen Norton, GC is a retired ammunition technical officer with the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps who was awarded the George Cross for his service in Iraq.
The Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC) is the Corps within the Australian Army concerned with supply and administration, as well as the demolition and disposal of explosives and salvage of battle-damaged equipment. The Corps contains clerks, operator supplies, petroleum operators, parachute riggers and ammunition technicians. Members of the Corps are nicknamed Roaches.
11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC is a specialist regiment of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) responsible for counter terrorist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), the safe recovery or disposal of conventional munitions. The regiment also has an ammunition inspectorate role supporting the Inspector Explosives (Army). With headquarters in Didcot, the regiment has sub units geographically based throughout the UK to provide a nationwide high readiness response capability in support of the police.
The Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment is an element of the Royal School of Military Engineering responsible for the provision of training to British Army Ammunition Technicians, Ammunition Technical Officers and Search Operators. The Regiment provides training from two locations: Marlborough Barracks, MoD Kineton near Kineton, Warwickshire and St George's Barracks, MoD Bicester, near Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen George Styles, GC, usually known as George Styles, was a British Army officer and a bomb disposal expert in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC). He received the George Cross for his service in defusing terrorist bombs in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.
Chris Hunter is the pseudonym of a British author, bomb disposal expert and former British Army officer. Under his real name, Hunter holds the Queen's Gallantry Medal, and is therefore entitled to use the post-nominal QGM after his name.
Engineer Battalion is a combat engineering battalion of the Estonian Defence Forces, based out of Tapa Army Base. The unit falls under the command of 1st Infantry Brigade of Estonian Land Forces.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Gary John O'Donnell, was a British Army bomb disposal expert who was awarded the George Medal twice. The George Medal is the second highest decoration, after the George Cross, for "acts of great bravery" not "in the face of the enemy". His second George Medal was the first such award in 26 years and the first ever posthumous bar. O'Donnell was killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Afghanistan.
Karl John Fairfax Ley, GM is a British Army soldier and a bomb disposal expert. As a staff sergeant in the 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC, he was awarded the George Medal for bomb disposal duties in Afghanistan, where he defused more roadside IEDs than anyone else during his six-month tour of duty.
Captain Lisa Jade Head was a British Army officer. She was the first female bomb disposal officer to be killed on operations. She died on 19 April 2011 at the age of 29, having sustained serious injuries on active service in Afghanistan. At the time of her death, Head was the first female officer and the second British servicewoman to die in Afghanistan since 2001, after Sarah Bryant, and the 364th member of the British armed forces in total.
The Kosovo Police's Bomb Squad (IED/EOD) was established in March 2006, prompted by the necessity to protect citizens’ lives and property, and to assist in investigation of crime-related cases.
The Ordnance Corps (ORD) is a combat support corps of the Irish Army, a branch of the Defence Forces, that has logistical and operational responsibility for military ordnance in Ireland. The logistical role of the Army Ordnance Corps is to provide technical support to the Defence Forces for the procurement, storage, distribution, inspection, maintenance, repair and disposal of all items of ordnance equipment. The operational role of the Ordnance Corps is to train personnel for and provide the state's bomb disposal capability.
No. 5131 (BD) Squadron was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squadron of the Royal Air Force. First formed in 1943, 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron was the Royal Air Force’s explosive ordnance disposal capability for 77 years. Its technicians were trained to deal with conventional munitions, chemical munitions and improvised explosive devices. The Squadron also responded to aircraft crashes; clearing the area of explosive risks and making any ordnance, aircraft assisted escape systems and flare countermeasures safe. During the 77-year operational history of the squadron, it saw action in World War II, the Suez conflict, the Indonesian conflict, the Cyprus invasion, the Falkland Islands war, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland as well as Military Assistance to Police taskings in the UK.
For other uses, see bomb disposal.