Thiokol Corp. has signed an agreement with a Russian Federation joint stock company to dismantle ballistic missiles and recycle the liquid and solid rocket motor fuels.
The $45 million venture hinges on Pentagon approval and funding, which Thiokol said is "expected soon.""If our proposal is accepted by the Defense Department, we can begin immediately to assist the Russian Federation with the enormous task of eliminating hundreds of excess strategic missiles," said William W. Brant, Thiokol's vice president and general manager of strategic operations.
Work could begin within six to nine months at the Russian Federation space and rocket propulsion research, development and test facility near Moscow.
The program is designed to demonstrate the "demilitarization" of Russian strategic ballistic missiles to comply with international disarmament treaties and avoid the environmentally adverse method of burning weapons. Thiokol has developed methods that will dismantle the missiles and recycle solid rocket fuel into industrial explosives for mining and construction or the liquid fuel into detergents, ammonia and other specialty chemicals.
Thiokol will not be alone in its work. The Ogden rocket-motor manufacturer has assembled a team of Russian and American partners to provide the necessary technological, technical, political, security and economic support and expertise for the project. International treaties and environmental regulations have turned routine destruction of missiles and rocket motors into a lucrative business opportunity for Thiokol and other aerospace companies that made billions of dollars manufacturing the weapons.
Hercules Aerospace in West Valley City also is pursuing the international demilitarization market.
Thiokol says it has led the way in developing methods of dismantling and destroying ballistic missiles, based on 45 years' experience building the bombs. It destroyed the Pershing missile stockpile according to the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty and demilitarized more than 3,000 solid rocket fuel motors that were part of U.S. strategic and tactical programs.