The U.S. Army celebrated breaking ground on its $635.2 million-dollar, state-of-the-art Future Artillery Complex (FAC) facility modernization at its Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) in Middletown yesterday—welcoming, and thanking distinguished guests, decorated military leadership, service members, Army civilians, industry partners, and media to a ceremony and reception at its Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown yesterday.
Governor Kim Reynolds described the FAC as an arsenal of democracy acknowledging how the Middletown plant will be transformed from a World War II-era production line to the most advanced explosive ammunition loading site in the world. She also addressed the workforce and economic impact for southeast Iowa.
In a consortium with Armaments & Ammunition and Combat Capabilities Development Commands, the U.S. Army has teamed up with American Ordnance, MSM, CSG, Weiland, and other industrial partners to design, build, commission, and transition the FAC from its legacy infrastructure to a scalable, sustainable, responsive, and flexible modern manufacturing installation as well as safely accelerate construction.
MSM North America CEO, Jason Gaines, describes the commitment to using local contractors:
Gaines then explains the 3-phase, 4-year timeline:
When complete, the facility will be capable of loading 36,000 artillery shells/rounds per month of M795 ammunition—36% of the Army’s total goal of producing 100,000 155mm artillery shells per month.
Public Relations Specialist with the Army, Justine Barati, tells us more about how this advanced 155mm Load, Assembled, and Pack (LAP) facility will help secure long-term munition production and reinforces national military readiness for decades to come by the dedicated multi-generational veteran workforce at the Iowa Ammunition Plant.
Yesterday’s ground-breaking event is a milestone for the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant’s broader FAC modernization, sets the stage for increased resilience, and reflects the U.S. Army’s confidence in Middletown as part of a broader $1 billion dollar total investment in southeast Iowa.