Partnership On ATACMS Extends Service Life And Preserves Funding
By Jeremy Shoemaker and S. Craig Hoffman, Letterkenny Army Depot and Dr. Paul-Thomas Ferguson, Joint Munitions CommandMay 18, 2020
Through a successful Public Private Partnership with Lockheed Martin, the Letterkenny Munitions Center located in Chambersburg, Pa., has aligned with private industry in a way that is changing the way we look at missile production and maintenance. The implementation of the Service Life Extension Program has proven useful through an agreement in which both public and private sector industries are tasked with increasing the lifespan for the Army Tactical Missile System Guided Missile and Launching Assembly. By categorizing and replacing system components that have outlived their usefulness, this cooperative agreement has resulted in both extending the lifespan of existing ordnance and maximizing the effectiveness of the defense appropriations that pay for them.As the original M39 Block 1 missile systems approach their service life limitations, the SLEP program allows LEMC personnel to label components that are acceptable for continued use or require demilitarization. LEMC then demilitarizes unusable materials and provides the remaining components to a Lockheed Martin facility, where they can replace existing warheads and reuse some Block 1 system components for a new unitary GMLA.This reintegration process allows for the modernization of existing inventory for the Warfighter by utilizing both new and existing components to build the latest generation ATACMS and allow for preservation of the Army’s only long range precision strike munitions. By reusing the Block 1 hardware in new production builds and eliminating the need to demilitarize otherwise useful portions of the existing ordinance, the SLEP process will lower ATACMS unit price and ensure that critical assets are readily available in the short term.“Bottom line, we have a responsibility at LEMC to put the best product forward to defend the Warfighter”, said LEMC Commander Lt Colonel Dennis Williams. “Our partnership with Lockheed Martin on ATACMS has not only put the most modern missile system in the world into the hands of our Military, but also done so at the lowest cost possible.”By identifying strategic partnerships and taking advantage of opportunities to modernize operations, LEMC continues to effectively support the Warfighter by extending the life of existing munitions and eliminating unnecessary costs.
TOP STORIES
- January 12, 2021Utah National Guard supporting long-term care facilities
- January 14, 2021Speaker recalls life and legacy of Dr. King as it relates to his own family’s experience
- January 14, 2021More National Guard troops head to DC for inaugural support
- January 14, 2021U.S. Army Micro-atomizer Contributes to COVID-19 Research
- January 13, 2021Message to the Army Community about recent events at the U.S. Capitol
- January 13, 2021Army scientists pick top 10 coolest advances of 2020
- January 13, 2021Army community partnerships honored for improving readiness, innovation
- January 13, 2021For the Pandemic and Beyond, Wearable Technology Points the Way
- January 13, 2021N.Y. National Guard builds COVID vaccination 'Pods' to support state vaccination effort
- January 12, 2021Army SHARP program assists victims with getting the help they need
- January 12, 2021Next Chapter of “What's Your Warrior?” Offers Deeper Look at Army Careers
- January 11, 2021DOD utilizes 3D-printing to create N95 respirators in the battle against COVID-19
- January 8, 2021101-year-old veteran survives two pandemics
- January 12, 2021Army to review discharges and status-upgrade procedures for behavioral health conditions
- January 8, 2021From homeless, to green, to gold: An Army officer’s humble beginnings
- January 11, 2021Soldier Volunteers Continue Holiday Tradition at Arlington National Cemetery
- January 11, 2021Army to lead new DOD strategy against drone attacks
- January 8, 2021DOD details National Guard response to Capitol attack
Social Sharing