On Tuesday 21 July, 29 IExpE members visited AWE Aldermaston for a networking event designed to strengthen industry connections while providing an insight into AWE’s work.
Following the site security process, attendees were welcomed by the Explosives General Manager, who opened the day with an introduction to AWE. His presentation provided an overview of the organisation, its role in supporting national security and the important work it delivers.
Attendees were then split into two groups to make the most of the activities available. One group took part in a guided bus tour of the AWE site, while the other attended a presentation from Steve Miller on explosive trials conducted by the Explosive Trials Site (XTS) team. Topics included explosive forging, multi-point initiation, shaped charges, slapper detonators and PPE testing.
After lunch, all attendees visited AWE’s Education Collection, affectionately known as “The Museum”. The tour explored Britain’s development of atomic weapons, from the first ‘Blue Danube’ through to Trident, including a number of other systems and the infamous ‘Blue Peacock’, also known as the ‘Chicken Bomb’.
The event was a great success, giving members a valuable insight into AWE’s work while providing an opportunity to strengthen connections across the explosives engineering community. IExpE would like to thank everyone at AWE for their warm hospitality and for delivering such an informative and engaging day.
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