View Full Version : hexogen
Could someone please give me information or point me to sources that will describe the explosive hexogen. I work in security at the US Embassy in Moscow and in light of the recent aircraft downings here in Russia (traces of hexogen reported to be involved in both crashes) I would like to know more about this explosive. For example, how it can be detected if in packages or hand luggage etc. We use an atomizer on all such items. Can it be detected by "bomb sniffer" dogs? Sorry if my questions seem foolish but I'm sure some of you Demo men can bring me up to speed.
I was LGF at Wellington for awhile, perhaps I can help a little.
NOTE: All my info is over nine months old, and the Embassy was upgrading as I left. I don't think any of this is OPSEC, but if so, feel free to delete (of course :))
Now, as I recall, the atomiser (I'm sure you're meaning the same thing as the ITMS Itemiser here) could only pick up six or so differant type of explosives, RDX, Nitro, etc. I'm certain there wasn't a Hexogen on there, though it could fall into one of the categories on the ITMS. These were the old ITMS' though, so the new ones could pick them up.
Perhaps it's new type of explosive?
NousDefionsDoc
08-29-2004, 00:05
http://www.wws.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/byteserv.prl/~ota/disk1/1991/9139/913906.PDF
My understanding is Hexogen is Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine - RDX. dogs do detect it and can be poisoned by it.
http://www.ocsresponds.com/ref/msds/msds-rdx.pdf
Thanks for the replies. The research I was able to do indicated it is also called RDX. So we are probably covered by our Atomizer. The Russian cops have the dogs.
The Reaper
08-29-2004, 07:33
Hexogen is the primary explosive compound in most non-poured military explosives. Poured explosive fillers contain mostly RDX with some TNT.
It is the primary explosive component of plastic explosives, with the exception of PETN products, like Det Cord and Detasheet. Hexogen is the primary component of RDX.
It contains sufficent nitrogen compounds that it should be detectable under most conditions.
TR
One of the things that used to piss us off was that the bloody things would set off on touch on minute bits of birdshit.