Matador launcher sold for A$2

last SG · 2007-01-16T13:05:00+00:00

Need to fit in new mechanisms i think... And the barrel too...

lionnoisy SG

Rocket launcher bought from tip, Dylan Welch,January 3, 2007

Police have recovered a rocket launcher bought by a local man from a tip in central Queensland for $2, which he then handed over to a local newspaper.

The Matador anti-armor rocket launcher is a 90mm single-use weapon designed by Singapore.

The expended rocket launcher was initially found at a recycling centre attached to a tip at Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, by local man James Maloney.

"I work in the local theatre restaurant and wanted to use it as a stage prop," he said.

However, when he read a story in a local paper about the army misplacing rocket launchers, he decided to hand the weapon over.

He gave the weapon to a reporter from Rockhampton's The Morning Bulletin, who kept if for a number of days to photograph it and write a story.

"The police rang me earlier this evening and they told me they didn't know where it was so I redirected them back to the reporter," Mr Maloney said earlier this week, adding that the last time he saw the weapon was in the back seat of the reporter's car.

The reporter handed it in at Yapoon police station at 8.30am local time (9.30am AEST) today.

"It's sitting right in front of me at the moment. I'm sitting here trying to deal with it," said Senior Constable Vicky Lees.

"It's not dangerous at all ... unless you have some sort of explosive to fire it off it's not dangerous."

She said Queensland police and the Defence Department were attempting to trace the serial number found on the weapon.

Mr Maloney believes it was used in an exercise at the nearby Shoalwater Bay military traininng area.

He had seen used shell canisters at the same rubbish tip from time to time.

A Defence Department spokesman said the matter was under investigation.

The spokesman also said it would be "unusual" for used military ordinance to be dumped at a public tip.

with AAP

2.I hope not sold by SAF!!

3.
another report fr www.smh.com.au

dragonstar SG

Another case of ignorant reporter's sensationalism blowing up matters.

The expended rocket launcher was initially found at a recycling centre attached to a tip at Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, by local man James Maloney.

Expended single-use rocket launcher means that it is just an empty tube and ...

He gave the weapon to a reporter from Rockhampton's The Morning Bulletin, who kept if for a number of days to photograph it and write a story.

... is therefore no longer a weapon! Its just like saying that a scabbard is a weapon.

said Senior Constable Vicky Lees.

"It's not dangerous at all ... unless you have some sort of explosive to fire it off it's not dangerous."

Huh??? Even the police spokesperson is talking drivel!

tankee1981 SG

It may be possible that our boys chose to dump these small quantities of expended ammo in a public rubbish point than take back to the ammo dump which can be quite troublesome as the whole exercise area is very huge!

But then again to miss out a thing as large as an expended Matador tube is still a surprise. Wonder how the ammo storeman can leave this out when they return expended ammo.

glock SG

This kind of incident is a result of a bo chap attitude.

glock SG

Maybe its not a Matador but a Panzerfaust 90 ? They both like the same.

scabstermooch SG

I doubt its the Singapore Army. The report mentions that it could be the US marines or the US army.

fallin SG

If its really one of our guys, the poor fella gonna kena DB?

tankee1981 SG

The US Army and Marines don't use the Matador as far as i know.

Weirdo80 SG

Wah, jia lat liao….confirm SAF equipment….I wonder who will end up shouldering the blame. By tracing the serial number, it will be pretty easy to track it back to the issuing unit.

beavan SG

and back to the issuing platoon and back to the man who shot it.

hmsg SG

are u sure it is a SAF equipment? the article did not confirm it, only say singapore design mah

LazerLordz SG

But if the Wallaby units are instructed to leave all their expended rounds in the SWBTA, then any leftover parts or expended ammo should be the responsibility of the Australian Army/local dept to clear.

I'm beginning to see that it may not be the fault of our boys. Let's not jump to conclusions.

LazerLordz SG

US troops are issued the AT-4 or the Javelin.

ozzy_gurl SG

Hi guys......I live in Rockhampton...and I also work for the local logistics group that supplies everything for the SAF when on exercise at SWBTA.....as you may know,the company is called P.I.Q. The refusal dump where this "weapon" was found is actually in the town of Yeppoon,approximately 1 hours drive from the nearest SWBTA entrance. I highly doubt this "weapon" would be SAF equipment.....as it is illegal to remove any SAF weapons or weapon meterial from SWBTA. And considering the size of the material....it would be impossible for any member of staff to remove it from SWBTA without being noticed. Yes, all used,discarded,weapon material is supposed to be left at the ammo dump, closest to each camp at SWBTA. I highly doubt that any member of the SAF would have any reason,or even want to remove the material from SWBTA either. I have personally seen what happens to all material left at the ammo dump at the end of exercise,and I can telly ou it alol gets packaged up,wrapped in plastic wrap,and shipped to the proper disposal place,as far as I know,taken care of by the A.D.F.

I just want to say, a lot of Australians like to collect military materail,and to someone of that description,which whoever the person is that had this item before dumping it,may of had it in their possession for quite some time.This type of material would most likely be quite a find for them.How someone has come across this item,I cannot say.....but rest assured the authorities willl find out it's origin.

tankee1981 SG

Thanks ozzy_gurl for the first hand info. We also hope its not the fault of one of our SAF guys. Glad to have you onboard! Very Happy

glock SG

Maybe not a Matador but a Panzerfaust 90 which is exactly the same. Do the Germans train in Australia ?

Shotgun SG

And what reasons would there be for the Germans to train in Australia??

Germany isn't exactly lacking training space, nor are the terrain features similar.

ozzy_gurl SG

Laughing sorry champ,you made me giggle,couldn't help it Very Happy

No,the Germans don't train in Australia.Only Australians,Singaporeans, and Americans.Unfortunately it looks like it is S.A.F issue....But as far as we can tell,it seems to be the initial mistake of one of the troops,who has been too lazy to send it to ammo dump,but instead has disposed of it in a rubbish bin,but it can also be blamed on rubbish men for not checking the bins to see it was dumped there.We'll never know exactly what happened,as we were not there to see it happen.Unfortunately in the future,it will be much tougher rules for the troops on exercise,to make sure it doesn't happen again,all because someone was too lazy to do the right thing. Neutral

kotay SG

From The Straits Times, Wednesday 10 Jan 2007, H5

(excerpt from "Used SAF Launcher sold at Aussie recycling Centre" by David Boey)

Mindef's investigation so far showed that the used launcher belonged to a batch that was formally handed over to the local Australian contractor, Private Industries (Queensland) Private Limited.

Col Lim said the company "was engaged by the SAF to carry out the proper disposal of used military items in compliance with Australian regulations and laws"

He said equipment to be disposed "would have been crushed or cut up, to ensure the original shape is not retained, before being transported out of Shoalwater Bay Training Area for disposal".

He added: "The SAF takes a serious view of the fact that there was a failure to ensure proper disposal in this instance. We are also reviewing and tightening up the system to ensure that the materials used in training are properly disposed of by our contractor, in lines with our requirements as well as with Australian regulations."

which means to say SAF did dispose of the items properly but most probably did not exercise due diligence in auditing.

Which now begs the following questions ...

1) Is the Oz contractor going to claim that he sub-contracted the disposal to the recycling centre and that they didn't do it properly?

2) Why wasn't there a MINDEF/SAF personnel onsite to verify the destruction? If there was, was that person on a canteen break? Where I'm coming from is that commercially when my company sent "sensitive" documents to a commercial shredding company, we would have someone witness the actual destruction and would also receive a certificate of disposal. Will the review and tightening up of the system now include this then?

ozzy_gurl SG

for one…..thast article is stupid…...he didn’t even get the company’s name right….and he does not know much about the situation because the discarded items are not crushed/destroyed at Shoalwater Bay,they never have been.like i said earlier,they are packed on pallets,plastic wrapped,and shipped to wherever the proper disposal place is.maybe they are crushed before disposal,but not at Shoalwater Bay they aren’t.the reason it is believed that it was inproperly dumped in a rubbish bin is because the ammo dump is at camp growl…..which is on the otherside of Shoalwater Bay to where this launcher was found.it was found in yeppoon,the closest camp at Shoalwater Bay from there is sam hill….an hour and a half away.camp growl is 2 and a half to 3 hours from yeppoon.