INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Picatinny Arsenal leaders helped break ground on a new 6.8 mm ammunition production facility in support of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) earlier this month.
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The U.S. Army's Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition, along with the Joint Munitions Command, broke ground Wednesday, Feb. 5, on a new 6.8mm ammunition production facility at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independence MO. The new facility will produce 6.8mm ammunition, which enhances soldier lethality and accuracy, bolstering the Army's modernization priorities. The project will also support the local economy, with 90% of the work going to Kansas City-area industries, creating jobs and driving growth.
Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Picatinny Arsenal Commanding General and Joint Program Executive Officer Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A), and Chris Grassano, Director, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, were among the first to put shovel to dirt during the historic groundbreaking event on Feb. 5.
Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, located in Independence, Missouri, part of the U.S. Army’s Joint Munitions Command, is the largest producer of small-arms munitions within the Department of Defense, turning out more than one billion rounds of ammunition per year. This plant is a vital part of the past, present and future of the U.S. military.
The last major groundbreaking at the installation was in 1940 when then-senator and future U.S. President Harry S. Truman thrust a spade into a field, paving way for the first manufacturing unit at Lake City.
“This moment marks a significant milestone in our efforts to rebuild the Arsenal of Democracy and equip our warfighters with the safest, most reliable, and lethal ammunition,” Reim said during the event’s keynote speech.
Production at the plant started in 1941 during World War II. Currently, LCAAP provides the majority of small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. military. It also performs ammunition development for the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons program.
The 6.8 mm family of ammunition to be produced at the new facility will play a vital role in advancing the Army’s modernization priorities.
Developed collaboratively by the JPEO A&A, the DEVCOM Armaments Center, and the Army Research Laboratory, the 6.8 mm family of ammunition is specifically engineered to maximize the performance of the XM7 Rifle and the XM250 Automatic Rifle. When fired through these Next Generation Squad Weapons, 6.8 mm rounds deliver increased range, improved accuracy and enhanced lethality, ensuring that Soldiers maintain overmatch on the battlefield.
The cutting-edge facility, which will be operated by Olin Winchester, is the culmination of an 18-month design process led by JPEO A&A with support from a diverse team of U.S. government and commercial contractors.
Spanning 450,000 square feet, the facility will feature modern manufacturing systems capable of producing all components of 6.8 mm ammunition. This includes cartridge case and projectile manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls, testing laboratories, maintenance operations and administrative areas.
“This facility will be a game-changer, capable of producing 385 million cases, 490 million projectiles, and the load, assemble, and pack of 385 million cartridges of the Army’s premier 6.8 mm family of ammunition,” Reim said.
“But this project is not just about numbers; it’s about the people and communities that will be impacted by this investment. Nearly 50 local businesses will be involved in the construction of this facility, with 90 percent of the work supported by industries right here in the Kansas City region. This will create good-paying jobs, provide stability for families, and drive growth in the local economy.”
JPEO A&A and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center are headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Together, they play a critical role in developing, procuring and fielding cutting-edge armaments and ammunition, ensuring the readiness and modernization of the U.S. Army and its international partners.
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