Page 60 - MILITARY-STUDIES-2

Module -V
Chemical Warfare
Warfare and
14.6.1 Mode of Delivery of Chemical Agents Its Types

The CW agents may be disseminated in one or more of the following forms: -
(a) Liquid droplets or spray, like rain.

(b) Liquid aerosols, like a fine mist, small enough to be inhaled.
(c) Very small particles of solids, like smoke.
Note
(d) Vapour or true gas.

14.7 Requirements of a Good Chemical Warfare Agent

A CW Agent must possess following requirements to be effective:-

(a) High Toxicity: The extent to which a chemical agent affects a person depends
upon the toxicity of the agent and the time to which he is exposed. Hence a
suitable chemical agent must have high toxicity. It must also, preferably, affect
more than one organ of the human body simultaneously.

(b) Quick toAct: Since the degree of injury also depends upon the time of exposure,
the agent must not only be highly toxic but should also be fast acting.

(c) Non-perceptible to Human Senses: The target population must not realise
that they have been subjected to a chemical attack.
(d) Non-availability of Antidote: The enemy should not have an effective antidote.

(e) Controllable Dissemination: The agent should be capable of being delivered
by more than one delivery system and disseminated at the target in more ways
than one, on target or off target, in vapour or aerosol form.

(f) Volatility and Persistency: Highly volatile agents are generally non- persistent.
If persistent agents are required, the chemical must not be volatile.
(g) Capacity to Penetrate: It should enter the human body through inhalation or
skin ingestion.

(h) Non-detectable: It must be difficult to detect.

(j) Availability of raw materials and economy and ease of manufacture.

(l) Stability in storage.

(m) Purity: The final product must be a pure substance since impurities would
degrade its effectiveness.
(n) Detonation Stability: The agent must not be destroyed by the heat and blast
of detonation.

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MILITARY STUDIES 53