Old Ammo plants coming and going
Two interesting pieces of news concerning WWII-era War Department ammunition plants.
The old Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MLAAP) in Tennessee, established in 1941, is finally gone. It made everything from 40mm Bofors rounds to mortar and artillery projectiles over the years.
Employees at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant inspect 81mm mortar rounds produced at the plant in this photo from the 1960s. (Photo Credit: Joint Munitions Command Public Affairs)
Closed as part of BRAC in 2005, its remaining lines were shifted to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant by 2009, while most of its land was transferred to the Tennessee National Guard to become the Milan Volunteer Training Site.
MLAAP was formally deactivated as a federal installation on 10 April and its colors cased.
Brig. Gen. Ronnie Anderson Jr. (right), the Joint Munitions Command’s commander, Tom Nowell, the Milan Army Ammunition Plant’s commander’s representative, and Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Reaves, JMC command sergeant major, secure the plant’s flag as the “casing of the colors” is executed bringing the ceremony to a close and formally deactivating the installation. (Photo Credit: Joint Munitions Command Public Affairs)
Meanwhile, in the Sooner State this week, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that a major ammo maker will create 350 new jobs.
CBC Global Ammunition, which owns the brands Magtech and MEN, among others, and made something like 2 billion cartridges last year in Brazil and Germany, is opening a plant on 550 acres of the former Oklahoma Ordnance Works, which was used by the Army for munitions production during World War II.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the $300 million plant is expected in late 2025.
Magtech has been popular on the U.S. market for 20-30 years and is finally going to be made in America.