The US Army has awarded Olin Winchester a contract to build an ammunition manufacturing facility in Missouri for the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW).
The NGSW was unveiled in 2017 to increase warfighters’ accuracy and lethality by replacing their hand-held assault rifles with modernized variants.
Under the agreement, the Clayton-based company will build a center in Independence City to produce bullets for the upcoming NGSW rifle and automatic rifle variants.
The decision to construct the hub followed an 18-month design phase focusing on the building’s architecture and corresponding support systems.
The conceptualization also involved layouts to accommodate processes, best-practice manufacturing methodologies, and equipment, securing the efficiency, maintainability, and readiness of the area for future requirements.
The construction work will be followed by the installation of ammunition manufacturing capability in the center.
Once completed, the factory will incorporate solutions for metal parts assembly, shell loading and charging, packaging, testing laboratories, and quality control.
“This award is a clear demonstration of industry-partner commitment to providing our joint warfighters the advanced munitions they need to fight and win the nation’s wars and safeguard our national security interests,” US Army Armaments and Ammunition Executive Officer Maj. Gen. John Reim stated.
“This facility’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and production capacity will also serve as deterrence against adversaries.”
Recent NGSW Milestones
The US Army completed an extreme cold weather trial of the NGSW weapons this month.
In December 2023, the agency conducted technical training and testing of the systems and their associated fire controls in Kentucky. This followed an announcement nine months earlier of a $331-million investment to procure 18,000 NGSW for the service.
In 2022, the US Army unveiled a project to equip the future weapons with intelligence technology to boost performance and cut operational costs.
Arms developer Sig Sauer signed a $20.4-million contract the same year to deliver NGSW rifles and equipment following its selection as the program’s primary contractor.
Optical solutions manufacturer Vortex Optics has been awarded a $20-million framework to fabricate 250,000 NGSW fire control systems for the army.
