INDEPENDENCE, Mo.-- While gaining an understanding of the mission and history of the Joint Munitions Command's small caliber manufacturing plant, the JMC commanding general said that modernizing the facility and maintaining a quality work environment are critical to planning for the future and remaining responsive to warfighter needs.
Brig. Gen. Gustave F. Perna, commander, Joint Munitions & Lethality Life Cycle Management Command and Joint Munitions Command, during a tour of Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Jan. 5 and 6, compared modernizing the plant to a three-legged stool.
"Modernization is a holistic plan encompassing safety, quality work environment and production," he said. The facility has been modernizing its small caliber manufacturing capability, including 1940s and 1970s era equipment, and had increased its capacity from 300 million to 1.4 billion rounds per year without increasing its footprint.
Modernization projects have benefitted LCAAP by reducing the risk of disrupting production, increasing machine efficiencies and reducing scrap. Completed small caliber ammunition modernization projects include upgraded priming, case, bullet and loading lines with other upgrades planned and underway.
"I want to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that has been accomplished here," said Perna. During Perna's visit, the plant's commander, Lt. Col. Elizabeth Delbridge-Keough, briefed LCAAP's 15-year strategy to upgrade, build and sustain the facility.
"We have improved environmental compliance and employee safety while sustaining warfighter requirements," Keough said. Government staff office renovations, heating ventilating and air conditioning or HVAC, and restroom renovations are some of the projects to improve the quality of the work environment that LCAAP has finished in the past five years. Additional HVAC projects are planned plus electrical upgrades.
Perna toured LCAAP's production lines including the 7.62mm, .50 caliber, 5.56mm, 20mm, primers and links. He also observed ballistics testing at the NATO National and Regional Test Center.
Lake City is the first manufacturer of the M855A1 Enhanced Performing Round or EPR. The new bullet, released for use in June 2010, is made of lead-free, environmentally friendlier materials and will increase Soldier performance on the battlefield. It provides significant performance improvements over the original general purpose M855 round.
Lake City uses the same equipment to manufacture the M855A1 that is used to make the M855, and no additional training is required to use the new round.
Also attending tours and briefings at LCAAP were Col. Jeffrey Wilson, Project Director for Joint Services; Lt. Col. Jeffrey Woods, Product Manager for Small Caliber Ammunition; and Sgt. Maj. Dewey Blake, Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center.
Social Sharing