Even small contracts are critical for maintaining a manufacturing skill base for the Army

By John B. Snyder, Watervliet ArsenalDecember 9, 2015

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1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Most of the contract work will be to manufacture full-bore chrome 155mm barrels for this M109A6 howitzer system. In this photo, a 155mm round expends from a M109A6 "Paladin" howitzer during the 3-82 FA Regt.'s, 2nd BCT, 1st Cav. Div., artillery live... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Army often calls on the Watervliet Arsenal to respond to an urgent need in the field. Here, Arsenal Commander Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr., right, and Lt. Col. William McDonough, mortar program manager, stand next to the last shipment of 60mm mortar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – American Legion National Commander Michael Helm launched his three-day tour of New York state in April 2015 by first visiting the historic Watervliet Arsenal. He is inspecting a 60mm mortar tube that Arsenal quality control inspector Michael Merrill... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. (Dec. 8, 2015) -- The Arsenal just received three contracts valued at more than $6 million to provide field artillery and mortar components to the U.S. Army's TACOM Life Cycle Management Command. But more important than money, these diverse contracts will help maintain a critical manufacturing skill base for the Army's future.

Two contracts require the Arsenal to purchase material to support the future production of 155mm howitzer full-bore chrome tubes and lightweight bore evacuators for the M109A6 Paladin howitzer system. The value of those contracts are: $2.8 million for the 155mm tubes and $1 million for the bore evacuators.

Diane Nelson, the program manager for the 155mm howitzer order, said that what makes these contracts significant is that they have the potential to add more than 85,000 direct labor hours to the Arsenal's future workload.

"The $3.8 million is to purchase long-lead material, such as pre-formed tubes, for the 155mm project," Nelson said. "I expect the Arsenal to soon receive two new contracts valued in excess of $30 million to manufacture the tubes and bore evacuators."

After the Arsenal receives the follow-on contracts, it will begin delivering the 155mm tubes and bore evacuators in fiscal year 2017 and will complete the 155mm production line in fiscal year 2018. The fiscal year begins on October 1.

The third contract, valued at more than $2.5 million, requires the Arsenal to manufacture 120mm mortar tubes.

Ed Davis, the program manager for the 120mm mortar project, said the mortar order will add more than 9,100 direct labor hours to the Arsenal's workload and delivery will begin in October 2016.

"After a more than three-year absence from the 120mm mortar market, it is great to have this work that will renew the critical skills required to support this unique product line," Davis said. "Machining skills are perishable, which makes it more important for us to not go too many years without an order for a specific large caliber weapon system."

The Arsenal has identified 11 critical skill capabilities that it needs to retain to continue as the Defense Department's large caliber weapons manufacturer of choice. Not all production requirements exercise all 11 of the Arsenal's core capabilities and so, that is the added value having a diverse production line that will collectively exercise many, if not all, of the critical manufacturing skills required to support the Army's large caliber mission.

These new orders will be used to sustain U.S. troop units in the field and adds to the more than $5.3 million in new contracts the Arsenal has received since October.

The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States having begun operations during the War of 1812. It celebrated its 200th anniversary on July 14, 2013.

Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark had revenue in fiscal year 2015 that exceeded $138 million and provides an annual economic benefit to the local community of nearly $100 million.

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