The US Army has signed a contract for domestic production of TNT | Article

PICATINNY ARSENAL, New Jersey – U.S. Army Joint Weapons and Ammunition Program Executive Office and U.S. Army Contracting Command – Rock Island awarded a maximum $435 million contract to REPKON USA – Defense LLC for the design, construction and commissioning of a TNT plant in Graham, Kentucky. The contract is enforceable as an indefinite sole source contract pursuant to 10 USC 3204(a)(7) and subsection 1244(a). (2) the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

TNT is needed for various military purposes such as ammunition, bombs and grenades, and serves as the main explosive for 155mm artillery shells. This award will allow the rapid and large-scale restoration of TNT production in the United States for the first time in decades.

“This is an important step forward in rebuilding our industrial base and ensuring we have critical capabilities to support our warfighters,” said Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology. “Restoring TNT production gives us the opportunity to monitor and protect our supply chain for this vital component, especially in an era of growing global challenges.”

Establishing a domestic production of TNT is vital to national defense, as the current supply chain is entirely dependent on foreign sources. This accelerated schedule is consistent with the Army’s goal of quickly resupplying critical munitions and maintaining readiness for future conflicts.

Maj. Gen. John T. Rhame, executive director of the Joint Munitions and Munitions Program, emphasized the strategic importance of this project.

“This new, state-of-the-art facility is essential to JPEO A&A’s mission to develop, procure and deliver safe, reliable and lethal munitions to our joint warfighters and international partners,” Rhame said. “This project will also further strengthen our defense industrial base by enabling the production of munitions at a rapid and large scale.”

This award is part of JPEO A&A’s efforts to address potential supply chain vulnerabilities and enhance national security by ensuring uninterrupted access to critical materials. By recovering critical resources such as rare earth minerals, chemicals and electronics, the Army is seeking to strengthen its defense industrial base amid global uncertainty.

For more information, contact Mr. Jamal Beck at [email protected].