US Army opens universal artillery facility for 60mm to 155mm shells

The US Army’s Joint Program Executive Office (PEO) for Armaments and Ammunition held an opening ceremony for the Universal Artillery Projectile Lines (UAPL) facility, a new modular metal parts facility in Mesquite, Texas, on Wednesday, 29 May 2024. 

The facility’s production lines offer the flexibility to produce a variety of metal parts ranging from 60 mm to 155 mm with minimal changeover requirements. A release from US Army states that the facility aligns with Army modernisation goals by incorporating high levels of automation, modern manufacturing practices, and digital-data-capture capability.

The new practices represent a much sought advance in the production of artillery munitions, recognised worldwide as a point of congestion in building operational capacities for the modern battlefield. 

Artillery barrage has been a key component of fighting in the War in Ukraine, with the shortage in supply of 155mm munitions noted as critical limiting factor for both sides of the conflict. Reestablishing a military-industrial base keyed to supporting this requirement has been a challenge major military powers have contested with across the war’s duration. 

“This plant is an important example of how we are modernising our World War II-era organic industrial base. The Army is spending more than a billion dollars every year to make these critical improvements,” stated Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth. According to Wormuth, the US Army is building nation-wide production lines and increasing production speed and capacity by expanding its existing contracts. 

The UAPL is part of the Army’s modernisation plan to bring the industrial base into up to meet modern standards. The Army has recognised current and future readiness requires modernisation efforts that leverage new technologies, advanced manufacturing equipment and processes, and surge capabilities to enable production at scale. 

The advanced new facility which will be operated by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), features high-volume production capabilities for large-calibre metal parts and is equipped with long-stroke, high-tonnage forging capabilities.

Under a package of contracts awarded by the Army worth $576 million, GD-OTS designed and constructed the facility, including the procurement, transportation, installation, and commissioning. 

Upon completion of the facility, the Army will assume ownership of the capital equipment, subsequently leasing it back to GD-OTS through a government-furnished material agreement.