 This is a report on free chemical munition systems currently under development by the United States Army. The E-8 35mm multiple tube cartridge launcher, the E-158 aerial cluster, and the E-159 aerial cluster. Here at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1963, troop test water bucket 1 indicated that riot control agent CS was a potentially effective tactical weapon that could be employed both offensively and defensively. As a result of the Fort Campbell tests, Army researchers at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, designed the E-8, the E-158, and the E-159 munition systems as vehicles for delivering agent CS to the target. The E-8 system is a man-portable, expendable launcher consisting of 16 tubes encased in a plastic carrier. Each tube holds four cartridges filled with 40 grams of pyrotechnic mix and 16 grams of agent CS, a total of 64 cartridges. The E-8 munition system can be fired either manually or electrically, from a ground emplacement or from a vehicle. Elevations of 25 to 90 degrees provide for ranges of 30 to 250 meters. Lateral distribution is achieved by the arrangement of the launch tubes. At maximum range and under optimum meteorological conditions, the E-8 will blanket an area 30 meters wide and 150 meters long with a cloud of CS in approximately 25 seconds. The E-158 system is a munition design for helicopter delivery to the target. It consists of eight modules, each containing 33 CS pyrotechnic mix-filled canisters. The E-158 munition is hand-tossed from the aircraft, traveling at speeds up to 300 knots. The E-159 system consists of two E-158s connected by a strong back assembly. It is designed for delivery to the target area on brackets suspended beneath the wing of the aircraft. The canisters contained in both the E-158 and the E-159 systems are fired in much the same manner as the cartridges in the E-8 system. The individual canisters are ejected from the cluster by the ignition of a propellant charge. Then, after a 4- to 6-second delay, the CS pyrotechnic mix compound is ignited, causing emission of the CS agent. In December 1965, Troop Test Water Bucket 2 was conducted at Camp AP Hill, Virginia to test the effectiveness of the E-8, E-158 and E-159 systems in a series of simulated tactical situations. What you are about to see are actual film clips of those tests. The objective of this first test was to determine the ability of the E-158 cluster system to prevent a potential ambush through reconnaissance by fire, as well as to determine the effects of agent CS on both masked and unmasked troops. The Hostile Force was made up of a group of two-man teams with one man masked and the other unmasked. A masked evaluator was assigned to each team. Hostiles were considered to be effective as long as they could continue to operate their weapons. But when overcome by the agent, unmasked personnel were helped from the contaminated area by their masked buddies. Following each test, the participants, both friendly and hostile, masked and unmasked, were interrogated concerning their reactions to the agent and their abilities to function properly and to identify members of the opposing forces. Evaluators also recorded such vital data as cloud dimensions and stability, the time required for cloud buildup, and pertinent information concerning the weapons functioning. Troops equipped with protective masks were able to move through the target area before the agent cloud had dissipated. The objective of the next test was to evaluate the effectiveness of the systems in enabling masked friendly troops to occupy a village with minimum hazard to non-combatants and friendly troops. Hostile troops were not masked. Some occupied tunnels and underground chambers. Although only one of the delivery systems, an E-159 cluster, placed the munition on target, 85% of the target was covered. The majority of the hostile force was incapacitated. CPG of the agent into the shallow unsealed tunnels forced unmasked hostiles into the open. This test, more than others, pointed out the need for more accurate bombing techniques and training for use of the E-158 and E-159. It also demonstrated that when they land in dry grass or thatch, the subunitions tend to act as incendiaries. Studies are currently underway in an effort to alleviate these limitations. Another test objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the E-158 and E-159 systems in countering an ambush of a helicopter landing zone during air-mobile operations. Although the majority of the hostile force was made tactically ineffective, wind-blown fire in the area occupied by the ambushing force resulted in termination of the test before the arrival of the unmasked assault force. The fire was caused by the burning subunitions. The results of this test were deemed inconclusive. Another test in this series confirmed that the E-8 launcher is an effective munition system for use in the daylight ambush of a hostile foot column. When hostile troops reached a predetermined killing zone, friendly defending forces initiated an ambush with heavy fire. M-60 machine guns, emplaced at the front and rear of the killing zone, cut off the avenues of escape. Upon initiation of the ambush, two E-8 systems were fired, one at the front and one at the rear of the killing zone, so that their fields of fire overlapped. The entire killing zone was blanketed by the cloud of Agent C.S. Although the hostiles attempted to charge through the Agent Cloud, they were overcome by the agent before they were able to reach safety. All were declared incapacitated or tactically ineffective. Another objective of the test series was to evaluate the E-8 as an effective weapon for daylight defense of a fixed installation. As the hostile force began its assault from the woods, approximately 150 meters from the base complex, the defending force opened fire with small arms and three E-8 launchers. The attacking force had scarcely left its concealed positions in the woods when it was showered with cartridges from the E-8 and was enveloped in the C-S Cloud they created. The test confirmed that the E-8 munition system can be used to defeat or effectively impede an assault by unmasked hostiles. The majority of the assault force was judged to have been incapacitated or made tactically ineffective. The purpose of the next test was to determine the effectiveness of the E-8 system against an ambush of a friendly foot column and to determine how well friendly forces initially unmasked can exploit the effects of E-8 for counter-ambush. Although nearly a minute was required to set up the E-8 system in this test, experience has shown that with sufficient training, a man can emplace and fire the system in approximately 15 seconds. Another 15 seconds is required for the system to fire completely and for the agent cloud to build up and incapacitate the enemy sufficiently enough for the assault troops to move in for the kill. Some hostiles resorted to holding gloves, towels and similar items over their faces in an effort to ward off the effects of the agent. One man even tried burying his head in the leaves, but to no avail. Most fled from the cloud in a matter of seconds. For this test, the E-8s had been emplaced at the head and rear of the ambushed column outside the killing zone. It was thus concluded that E-8s so emplaced could effectively cover the target area and incapacitate the vast majority of the hostiles. Another test objective was to determine the effectiveness of the E-8 system in countering a daylight ambush of a friendly motor column. E-8 systems were pre-emplaced in the rear of the lead, trail and middle trucks of the column. Test evaluators concluded that such pre-emplacement may cut reaction time to the ambush and when utilized in conjunction with other counter-ambush measures employed by a motorized column, the E-8 system is an effective backup weapon. The test showed that the E-8s were able to cover the majority of the target area and its periphery and incapacitate the majority of the hostile force. However, the initial response time of the system from initial ambush fire to cloud buildup approximately 25 seconds is such that it will not defeat the initial volume of ambush fire by itself. The final test in the series was to evaluate the effectiveness of the E-8 munition system in offensive operations against hostile defensive field positions. The hostiles were located in hastily constructed defensive positions on a wooded rise. Outposts had been set up 100 meters in front of the main force. The friendly platoon moved to within 150 meters of the hostile position and formed an assault line. Three E-8 systems were in place so as to provide interlacing fields of fire and fired. It was hoped that the agent cloud would minimize the hazards to the assault force and would increase the possibility of taking prisoners. In this test, the munition completely covered the target area and caused the majority of the hostiles to be incapacitated or tactically ineffective. Troop Test Water Bucket 2 showed conclusively that munition systems E-8, E-158 and E-159 offer significant tactical advantages when employed in counterinsurgency operations. The test series also pointed up several limitations on the use of these weapons. First, aerial delivery on several targets was inaccurate, indicating the need for improved bombing techniques and additional training using the tables currently available. And secondly, the subunitions in the systems tested tend to act as incendiaries when they come in contact with dry materials such as thatch or grass. The Water Bucket 2 tests also resulted in development of the following operational guidance for future employment of the systems tested. One, adequate peripheral coverage. Sufficient munition should be employed to completely cover the periphery of the target, ensuring denial of escape routes and achieving thorough coverage of the outer edge of the target. Two, employment in depth. Sufficient munition should be employed against moving targets to thoroughly blanket the area of possible movement. And three, discriminate employment. The use of reserve munition should be taken into consideration to compensate for wind drift of the agent cloud and to permit the attacking of targets of opportunity.