The Army has recovered 32 munitions from the ocean floor off the Waianae Coast this month during a project to clear away most of the weapons the military dumped there decades ago.

The Army is nearly halfway through a three-week experimental project using a remote controlled robot to remove the weapons.

U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii said in a statement Thursday the Army has processed 12 of the munitions and treated and destroyed 73 pounds of explosives.

It’s been difficult for the robot to remove the weapons as coral growth has basically cemented many to the ocean floor. The Army is leaving heavily coral encrusted munitions in place.

There are an estimated 2,000 weapons in the area nicknamed "Ordnance Reef."