ARMY TM 10-1670-278-23&P
AIR FORCE T.O. 13C5-26-2
NAVY NAVAIR 13-1-27
1-2. Maintenance Forms and Records. Department of the Army forms and procedures used for equipment
maintenance will be those prescribed by DA PAM 738-750, The Army Maintenance Management System, and TB 750-
126, Use of Material Condition Tags and Labels on Army Aeronautical and Air Delivery Equipment. Marine Corps
personnel will refer to TM 4700-15/1 for equipment maintenance forms and records.
1-3. Destruction of Army Materiel to Prevent Enemy Use. Destruction methods are described in the following
subparagraphs.
a.
General.
(1)
Objective. Methods of destruction used to inflict damage on airborne platforms should make It
impossible to restore equipment to a usable condition in a combat zone by either repair or cannibalization.
(2)
Authority. Destruction of air delivery equipment that is in imminent danger of capture by an enemy is a
command decision that must be made by a battalion or higher commander or the equivalent.
(3)
Implementation plan. All units which possess air delivery equipment should have a plan for the
implementation of destruction procedures.
(4)
Training. All personnel who use or perform such functions as rigging, packing, maintenance, or storage
of air delivery equipment should receive thorough training on air delivery equipment destruction procedures and
methods. The destruction methods demonstrated during training should be simulated. Upon completion of training, all
applicable personnel should be thoroughly familiar with air delivery equipment destruction methods and be capable of
performing destruction without immediate reference to any publication.
(5)
Specific methods. Specific methods of destroying Army materiel to prevent enemy use shall be by
mechanical means, fire or by use of natural surroundings.
b.
Destruction by Mechanical Means. Air delivery equipment metal assemblies, parts, and packing aids shall be
destroyed using hammers, bolt cutters, files, hacksaws, drills, screwdrivers, crowbars, or other similar devices to smash,
break, bend or cut.
WARNING
Exercise extreme care when using petroleum products to destroy equipment by fire, as severe
burns or DEATH could result.
c.
Destruction By Fire. Items that can be destroyed by fire shall be burned. The destruction of equipment by
use of fire is an effective method of destroying low-melting-point metal items (e.g., side rails, threaded portions of nuts
and bolts, and platform panels. However, mechanical destruction should be completed first, whenever possible, before
initiating destruction by fire. When Items to be destroyed are made of metal, textile materials (or some comparable low
combustible material) should be packed under and around the items, then soaked with a flammable petroleum product
and ignited. Proper concentration of equipment which is suitable for burning will provide a hotter and more destructive
fire.
1-4
