Ammunition Technical Officer

An Ammunition Technical Officer (ATO) is an officer of the British Army involved in all aspects of the army's use of ammunition. This includes; bomb disposal, explosives accident investigation, procurement, in service management, storage and inspection and repair. They are generally recruited from newly qualified Captains from the Royal Logistic Corps, however a number of Ammunition Technician Warrant Officers are selected for commissioning and are employed as an ATO. One such example is Captain Peter Norton GC.

Training for the role lasts 14 months and involves attendance at the Royal Military College of Science and the Army School of Ammunition. At its conclusion the new ATO normally takes command of one of the 11 EOD Regiment EOD troops but some take up other appointments. In 11 EOD Regiment in addition to the troop commanders role, the ATO will perform Counter-Terrorist bomb disposal activities or IEDD, leading an EOD team. Senior Non Commissioned Officer (SNCO) Ammunition Technicians also lead EOD teams and when doing so are often referred to as the ATO. ATs and ATOs are trained at the Felix Centre within the Army School of Ammunition. ATOs are the UK's Bomb Disposal experts with many years of experience in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and anywhere where the British Army have forces deployed and require EOD expertise and advice.

Other nations' armed forces also have ATOs, some of which are trained by the British Army to the same standard. Examples include Canada and Singapore.

The Australian Army also employs ATOs who are members of the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC). The RAAOC ATOs are trained in Australia and this training has also been made available to members of other regional (Asia/South Pacific) Defence Forces.

Other than these countries, PAKISTAN ARMY also has ATOs who are trained at PAKISTAN ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL. They are selected on almost the same lines as that of the British Army ATOs from the officers of PAKISTAN ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS. They are also specialists in same field and also have many years of experience from within Pakistan and other countries like LIBERIA , CONGO, IVORYCOAST, and anywhere the PAKISTAN ARMY is deployed as a UN Peace Force.