RICHMOND, Ky. - A new mission for the Blue Grass Army Depot is moving the installation forward, while still providing critical support for our service members.
The depot is currently manufacturing one of three types of mortar fin assemblies for the Department of the Army.
"In August 2008, the depot found out the Department of the Army was interested in producing mortar fins within the Department of Defense, instead of contracting solely to civilian contractors," said Timothy Delozier, project officer for the 81 mm cartridge mortar fin.
"We conducted some initial pricing, process flow and market research to see if this might be a viable project to pursue."
Delozier said that by December of 2008 the depot was awarded the workload to produce the mortar fin assembly for Program Manager-Combat Ammunition Systems, located at the Picatinny Arsenal, Picatinny, N.J.
"This was a brand new line of work, and complete set up of production facility was required. We had no equipment, no personnel, no specific gauge, or a building that was ready for this mission," he said.
The project is a first-time endeavor at BGAD into the world of non-energetic (non-explosive) ammunition component production.
An existing 5,000 square foot storage facility has been converted and upgraded to house the operation. Fire suppression, electrical, and air and oil water separator have been installed.
During the workup to production in early 2009, the depot partnered with Eastern Kentucky University, also located in Richmond, for ways to improve the manufacturing process for the mortar fin.
The fin consists of two main components machined from aluminum and then coated and assembled into one complete fin.
Currently, the depot is producing more than 5,000 mortar fins per month as an interim benchmark to achieving 10,000 per month as stipulated in the contract. The depot started production in October of 2009. The first shipment of mortar fins arrived at their destination in January.
The mission provides work for employees. According to depot officials, 60 percent of the 27 new personnel hired for the mortar fin assembly project were from Kentucky - many of them first time federal government employees.
Blue Grass Army Depot Commander Col. Joseph Tirone commented on the importance of the depot's newest mission.
"The 81 mm mortar is a critical weapon system on today's battlefield," he said. "Not only is Blue Grass Army Depot making a direct and positive impact on today's warfighter but this project has the added benefit of employing more than 25 personnel and adding to the almost $200 million that Blue Grass Army Depot has put into the local economy for each of the last two years."
The work production is getting some high profile attention. The Joint Munitions Command Sgt. Maj. David Puig got a firsthand look at production line in January.
He came away impressed with the work that was being done and the amount of work it took to get the line operational in small amount of time.
(Jo Adail Stephenson contributed to this story).
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