Ministry of Defence

Defence Standard

13-501/Issue 2 24 March 1995

PRH - 1

This Defence Standard supersedes

INTERIM Def Stan 13-501 /Issue 1
dated 14 July 1987
DEF STAN 13-501/2

AMENDMENTS ISSUED SINCE PUBLICATION

AMD NO DATE OF TEXT AFFECTED SIGNATURE &

ISSUE DATE

Revision Note

This Defence Standard has been updated from INTERIM status in accordance
with Def Stan 00-00 (Part 2). The Standard includes Manufacturer’s
Qualification Approval.

Historical Record

INTERIM Def Stan 13-501/1 dated 14 July 1987.

 DEF STAN 13-501/2

PRH-1

PREFACE

This Defence Standard supersedes

INTERIM Def Stan 13-501/Issue 1
dated 14 July 1987

i This Defence Standard specifies requirements for PRH-1.

ii This Standard has been produced on behalf of the Defence Engineering

and Equipment Standardization Committee (DEESC) by the Explosives
Subcommittee (E15).

iii This Standard has been agreed by the authorities concerned with its
use and is intended to be used whenever relevant in all future designs,
contracts, orders etc and whenever practicable by amendment to those
already in existence. If any difficulty arises which prevents application
of the Defence Standard, the Directorate of Standardization shall be
informed so that a remedy may be sought.

iv Any enquiries regarding this Standard in relation to an invitation to

tender or a contract in which it is incorporated are to be addressed to the
responsible technical or supervising authority named in the invitation to
tender or contract.

v This Standard has been devised for the use of the Crown and its
contractors in the execution of contracts for the Crown. The Crown hereby
excludes all liability (other than liability for death or personal injury)
whatsoever and howsoever arising (including, but without limitation,
negligence on the part of the Crown its servants or agents) for any loss or
damage however caused where the Standard is used for any other purpose.

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DEF STAN 13-501/2

CONTENTS PAGE

Preface 1

1 Scope 3
2 WARNING 3
3 Related Documents 3
4 Definition 4
5 Description 4
6 Ingredients 4
7 Supply 4
8 Manufacturer’s Qualification Approval 4
9 Test Requirements 5
10 Methods of Test 6
11 Storage and Transportation 6
12 Containers and Marking of Containers 7

Table A Ingredients 4
Table B Test Requirements 5

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 DEF STAN 13-501/2

PRH-1

1 Scope

This Standard specifies requirements for a material for use in certain high
explosive compositions.

2 WARNING

This Standard calls for the use of substances and/or procedures that may be
injurious to health if adequate precautions are not taken. It refers only
to technical suitability and in no way absolves either the designer, the
producer, the supplier or the user from statutory and all other legal
obligations relating to health and safety at any stage of manufacture or
use.

3 Related Documents

3.1 The following documents and publications are referred to in this

Standard:

BS 410 Specification for Test Sieves

Def Stan 07-23 RDX Grade 1, Grade 1 Size 36 Grades 1A and 1B
Def Stan 13-129 Requirements for Explosives Hazard Data Sheets
for MOD Use
CS 5330 HMX
Laboratory Method M201 Examination of RDX

3.2 Reference in this Standard to any related documents means in any

invitation to tender or contract the edition and all amendments current at
the date of such tender or contract unless a specific edition is indicated.

3.3 Related Documents may be obtained from:

DOCUMENT SOURCE

British Standards (BS) British Standards Institution

Sales Department
Linford Wood
MILTON KEYNES MK14 6LE

Defence Standards (Def Stan) Directorate of Standardization

Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
GLASGOW G2 8EX

CS Specification DRA WX4 Technical Support

Laboratory Method Building A22
Fort Halstead
SEVENOAKS
Kent TN14 7BP

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DEF STAN 13-501/2

4 Definition

For the purpose of this Defence Standard the following definition applies:

4.1 Manufacturer’s Qualification Approval

The status given to a manufacturer’s production unit, whose product has

been shown to meet all the requirements of the product specification and
quality plan.

5 Description

The PRH-1 shall consist of an intimate and uniform mixture of RDX (90% by
mass) and HMX (10% by mass) obtained by coprecipitation from aqueous
acetone and shall be in the form of a dry, white crystalline powder. The
HMX shall consist essentially of the beta form.

6 Ingredients

Each ingredient used in the manufacture of the material shall comply with
the requirements of the appropriate specification shown in table A with the
exception that the particle size requirements be waived.

Table A - Ingredients

ITEM INGREDIENTS SPECIFICATION

NO

1 RDX grade 1, grade 1A or Def Stan 07-23

grade 1B

2 HMX type A, type B or CS 5330

type C

7 Supply

Material supplied to this Standard shall be manufactured by a supplier

holding Manufacturer’s Qualification Approval for the product (see
clause 8).

8 Manufacturer’s Qualification Approval

Before any product can be considered as complying with this Standard, the
manufacturer shall have obtained Manufacturer’s Qualification Approval.
The focal point for obtaining such approval is the Directorate of
Standardization, Stan 5, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow, G2 8EX,
who will notify applicants, on request, the address of the relevant
Approving Authority.

In order for a manufacturer to qualify as a supplier of explosive to this

Defence Standard the following requirements must be satisfied.

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 DEF STAN 13-501/2

8.1 The manufacturer shall:

8.1.1 Submit evidence that the explosive complies with clauses 5 and 6 and
the test requirements of clause 9, table B.

8.1.2 Disclose in confidence to the Approving Authority, details of all

the ingredients used in manufacture and the method of manufacture.

NOTE: The manufacturer shall ensure that any material that may be in
contact with the explosive in the course of manufacture and packaging has
no deleterious effect on the stability of the product.

8.1.3 Submit a 0.5 kg sample of explosive representative of production.

No charge is to be made for samples required in connection with this
approval.

8.1.4 Submit an Explosive Hazard Data Sheet in accordance with

Def Stan 13-129.

8.2 In addition to the above requirements, before the explosive is

introduced into UK Service it will have been assessed by the UK Ordnance
Board and adjudged safe and suitable for introduction into service in a
role or particular application.

8.3 Following a successful submission, the manufacturer will be granted

Qualification Approval. No changes to formulation, ingredients, method of
manufacture or other agreed special requirements shall be made without the
written consent of the Approving Authority.

8.4 The Approving Authority may, at any time, require submission of

further samples and test results for confirmation of a Qualification
Approval.

8.5 Qualification Approval shall be valid for a period of 5 years from the
date of approval. The manufacturer may apply for re-approval.

8.6 A list of suppliers whose material has been given Qualification

Approval is available on request from the Approving Authority.

9 Test Requirements

All samples taken from any portion of the supply shall be in accordance
with clauses 5 and 6 and when tested by the method specified shall comply
with the requirements of table B.

Table B - Test Requirements

ITEM PROPERTY REQUIREMENT METHOD

NO OF TEST

1 Volatile matter, % 0.10 max )

) M201
2 HMX, % 9.0 max )
11.0 max )

(Continued on page 6)

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DEF STAN 13-501/2

Table B - Concluded

ITEM PROPERTY REQUIREMENT METHOD

NO OF TEST

3 RDX, % 89.0 min )

91.0 max )
)
4 Total acidity calculated as nitric acid, % 0.010 max )
)
5 Matter insoluble in acetone: )
)
Total, % 0.05 max )
)
Organic, % 0.02 max )
)
6 Grit: Ø )
)
Retained on a 250 µm sieve, particles Nil )
per 50 g )
)
Retained on a 63 µm sieve, % 0.01 max ) M201
)
7 Particle size distribution: (see NOTE 1) )
)
Greater than 50 µm, % 1.0 max )
)
Greater than 20 µm, % 15.0 max )
)
Medial particle size, µm 5.0 to 8.0 )
)
8 Vacuum Stability (5 g for 24 hours at 4.0 max )
150°C), ml )
)
9 Figure of Insensitiveness (F of I) 80 min )

Ø Particulars of the sieves will be found in BS 410.

NOTE 1: Users of PRH-1 are advised that the particle size distribution will
change if stored wet.

NOTE 2: If any sample taken from the consignment be found not to comply
with the requirements of this Standard the whole consignment may be
rejected.

10 Method of Test

All enquiries concerning methods of test or other technical matters should

be referred to the Directorate of Standardization, Stan 5, Kentigern House,
65 Brown Street, Glasgow, G2 8EX.

11 Storage and Transportation

The material shall not be wetted for storage or transportation as the

properties specified in clause 9, table B may change.

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 DEF STAN 13-501/2

12 Containers and Marking of Containers

12.1 Unless the form of packaging is specified in the contract or order,

the material shall be filled into sound, clean, polyethylene bags suitable
for the product. Each polyethylene bag shall be securely closed and placed
within a second polyethylene bag, which shall be securely closed and packed
into a sound, clean container. The use of contaminated containers may
render the whole consignment liable to rejection.

12.2 It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to mark containers in

accordance with any legal requirements. In addition, the containers shall
be both legibly and durably marked with the following details:

Designation viz: PRH-1

Defence Standard number viz: DEF STAN 13-501/2
Contract or order number:
Distinctive lot and/or batch number:
Consecutive container number:
Quantity of containers:
Date of manufacture:
Manufacturer’s name, initials or recognized trade mark:

and any other markings called for in the contract or order.

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DEF STAN 13-501/2

© Crown Copyright 1995 This Standard may be fully reproduced

Published by and obtainable from:
Ministry of Defence
Directorate of Standardization
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
GLASGOW G2 8EX
Tel No: 041-224 2531
Fax No: 041-224 2503
except for sale purposes. The
following conditions must be observed:
1 The Royal Coat of Arms and the
publishing imprint are to be
omitted.
2 The following statement is to be
inserted on the cover:
‘Crown Copyright. Reprinted by
(name of organization) with the
permission of Her Majesty’s
Stationery Office.’
Requests for commercial reproduction
should be addressed to MOD Stan 1,
Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street,
Glasgow G2 8EX

The following Defence Standard file reference relates to the work on this
Standard - D/D Stan 306/15/6.

Contract Requirements

When Defence Standards are incorporated into contracts users are

responsible for their correct application and for complying with contract
requirements.

Revision of Defence Standards

Defence Standards are revised when necessary by the issue either of

amendments or of revised editions. It is important that users of Defence
Standards should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest
amendments or editions. Information on all Defence Standards is contained
in Def Stan 00-00 (Part 3) Section 4, Index of Standards for Defence
Procurement - Index of Defence Standards and Specifications published
annually and supplemented periodically by Standards in Defence News. Any
person who, when making use of a Defence Standard encounters an inaccuracy
or ambiguity is requested to notify the Directorate of Standardization
without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate
action taken.

91/50038
 Procurement Executive, Ministry of Defence
Directorate of Standardization
Room 1138, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, GLASGOW, G2 8EX
Telephone: 0141-224 2595 (Direct Dialling) Fax: 0141-224 2503
0141-248 7890 (Switchboard)
Internet e-mail address: t.leaver@dstan.mod.uk

Your Reference :

Our Reference : D/DStan/11/2

Date : 9 November 1998

Removal of Product Qualification Approval

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
1. This Standard contains a Product Qualification Approval (PQA) scheme. iMOD policy requires that all
PQA schemes are removed from Defence Standards called up in contracts placed after 1st January 1998.

2. Users of this Standard are to contact the Project Manager (PM), Equipment Support Manager (ESM) or
Technical Service Authority (TSA) named in the contract or order, to identify whether there is a continuing need
for an approvals scheme.
ii
3. Product Conformity Certification (PCC) is a risk based process that replaces PQA. Once a risk has been
identified PCC can be included as a contract clause. In exceptional circumstances agreement can be sought from
AD/Stan for PCC to be included in a Defence Standard.

4. At the next revision of this Standard the PQA scheme will be removed.

T R Leaver
Head of Standards Programme Management
Tel: 0141 224 2595 FAX: 0141 224 2503

i
Defence Council Instruction (General) 197/97; Quality Temporary Memorandum 5/98; Chief of
Defence Procurement Instruction CDPI/TECH/250 (draft)
ii
PCC is certification that a product meets its specification. When PC is required by the contract, the
contractor is responsible for obtaining the necessary PCC. Certification shall be provided from a
NAMAS accredited laboratory when appropriate. PCC shall apply where a Risk Assessment has been
identified by the PM; ESM or TSA.