Oct 15, 2007 11:44 am US/Central

Pine Bluff Arsenal to Begin Destruction of Rockets

White Hall (AP) - Processing of VX rockets has begun at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. Destruction of weapons was halted five months ago after the disposal facility at the arsenal completed elimination of 480 tons of GB nerve agent.

On Thursday, the arsenal moved rockets filled with VX nerve agent to the disposal site within the arsenal grounds.

Arsenal crews spent the five months since the GB work ended preparing for the VX disposal--the second major disposal campaign for the arsenal incinerator.

The arsenal says it will take about six months to destroy the VX rockets. After that, the facility will be fitted to destroy VX land mines.

Before destruction of weapons began, the arsenal had stored 3,850 tons off chemical agents--12% of the Army's original chemical weapons stockpile. Chemical weapons have been stored at the arsenal for 60 years.