U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to Chaos Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, fire a M777 during a live fire exercise following a heavy drop airborne operation at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany.Sgt. Cody Nelson/U.S. Army
A production facility to manufacture TNT for the Army will be built in Western Kentucky.
Repkon USA has been awarded a $435 million contract to build the plant in the Graham community in Muhlenberg County, Sen. Mitch McConnell announced on Friday.
It's the first time since the 1980s that the Army has produced TNT in the United States.
"This history making initiative underscores our commitment to strengthening our national security and reducing reliance on foreign sources for critical materials," Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, joint program executive officer for armaments and ammunition, said in the release.
"A domestic source of TNT is a crucial step in strengthening and building resilience in our Defense Industrial Base to ensure our armed forces have timely access to essential resources."
TNT, or trinitrotoluene, is an explosive the military uses in artillery shells, bombs and grenades.
"The Muhlenberg County facility will utilize state-of-the-art technology, maximizing the use of automation and digitization, and a novel waste neutralization process," the news release stated.
The Army currently relies on sources overseas for its TNT.
"This is a major step forward in rebuilding our industrial base and ensuring we have the critical capabilities to support our warfighters," Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology said in a news release by the Army. "Reshoring TNT production gives us the ability to control and secure our supply chain for this vital component, especially in an era of increasing global challenges."
McConnell's office said the senator "was instrumental in securing this investment, a top strategic priority for the U.S. Army, through his work to shepherd the FY 2024 National Security Supplemental to Senate passage."
"Through this partnership with the Army and Repkon USA, our state is proving once again that we have the infrastructure, workforce, and logistics edge to take on projects critical to our national defense," McConnell said in the release.
Muhlenberg County Judge-Executive Mack McGehee thanked McConnell for bringing the facility to Muhlenberg County, saying it "will be a huge boost to our local economy by bringing construction jobs and high-quality permanent jobs."
The facility will bring more than 50 jobs to the community, Congressman Brett Guthrie said in the release.
Repkon provides metal-forming services and equipment for the defense industry, as well as the aerospace, mining and oil and gas sectors, according to the company's website.