There are some concerns about Uncle Sam putting all of its ammo production eggs in one basket at Lake City. Although ATK is working on a $242 million modernization project there, it will not actually result in an increased capacity to make more ammo than the plant currently produces. Producing 99% of our military ammo in one place has physical risks as well; although the plant is well guarded and safety rules strictly followed, a terror attack or industrial accident could potentially cripple America’s ability to wage war. The primers used in making the military ammo also contain a less obvious national security risk—of the 13 chemicals used to make the primer compound, 10 of them are imported from outside the country. For example, four of the chemicals can only be found in China, and two can only be found in Mexico. If either of those countries were unwilling, or unable, to export these chemicals to us in the future, we would need to come up with a new way to make primers. However, solving these issues is not up to the private company doing what the government tells them; it is up to our policymakers.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
ATK: All our small arms ammunition eggs in one basket.
With a tip of the boonie hat to Irregular Philip. From Cheaper Than Dirt:
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15 comments:
I have always wondered if someone could invest and make the old Childersburg, AL munitions plant viable again and compete in the amuntion and components market from here in Sweet Home Alabama.
Thing is I'm not an industrialist. I'm just a programmer so I lack the necessary skillset to pull it off.
But if any IIIper wanted to try the venture I'd certainly participate and bring whatever skills I could offer to the project.
It would make sense to have more manufacturers of the ammunition this nation needs, but when did the gubmint ever have any common sense. In my opinion, stockpile all you can while it is still available cause it won't take much for the flow of ammo to stop.
raphI remember after WWII I believe it was the Pres. Ike's administration took steps to keep all war plants, making ammunition and bombs upto date and secure in good working order. Many were in the south and also located around the various states at the time. The plants were not running or making war materials but could be brought online if the Cold War jumped to hot. Never knew what happened to all of them. Probably too outdated or similar problems. Just a thought, Ike didn't want our eggs all in one basket.
I have a grand idea that might provide part of a solution . Let's convert the now defunct Solyndra site into an arms factory and divert the resulting Iron River of Guns Fueling Mexican , South American ,and Midwest Violence ® to co-generation and make clean , affordable, and renewable hydroelectric energy . This will create much needed jobs while protecting the environment by lessening our nations excessive generation of greenhouse gasses .
The opportunity for various federal agencies to engage in further appropriations theater will also prove quite beneficial . All part of the innovative thinking driving our national economic recovery .
All told it shouldn't cost more than a half a billion dollars , Obama can get that much from his stash .
The Lake City situation sounds about as sound as putting all our major naval assets in one harbour, lined up nice and neat, side by side, in about 45 feet of water. Wonder if they got an Admiral King type to rip off his shoulder boards when he sees the smoke and destruction from his house.
Sometimes what is optimal in the short term is suboptimal in the long term. Conversely, sometimes what is suboptimal in the short term is optimal in the long term. Single source of supply may be efficient and reduce the unit cost of each item produced, but can be a major problem if any problems arise unique to the single source. These problems can include disruptions in the ability to supply raw materials to the plant, the ability to manufacture products at the plant (loss of power, major storms, epidemics, industrial accidents such as explosion and fire, sabotage, etc.), and the ability to deliver the finished product to the end users.
Besides asking the question of "what can go wrong?", planning solutions to the problems and implementing the solutions, the first step is eliminating the Mad Magazine Alfred E. Newman attitude of "what, me worry?".
While I understand your basic issue here and can easily agree we are far too dependent on the generosity of foreign manufacturers to provide us with a vital commodity I think that we can quickly adapt our ability to produce the products on our own should the need become a reality. That said, we should be doing that right now and never again depend on others to provide for our own needs, particularly one with the aspect of leaving us unable to mount our own defense. Oil, electronics, hell McDonald's Happy Meal toys should all be domestic.
To be honest, I can't get upset at the news that the government has decided to single-source its ammo.
Here's a thought, say there is an emergency and this one plant's manufacturing capability's are compromised. Now what? Well the government ask's it's civilian's to help and turn over there munitions supply's so our national security will not be compromised, some do and then.... You do the math because I have and it's not pretty. Just 1 fact there are 4 that I know of "secret" facility's that are capable of supplying our nation in a national emergency with unlimited ammunition.
Learn to make your own and teach others. That's where we're going with this. Oh, and "green" bullets are just another part of the plan.
Turns out that it's much easier to make them with lead. What a coincidence...
Gosh....
Isn't this the same ATK that was destoying spent brass before it could "fall into the wrong hands"?
And who do you suppose those "wrong hands" belong to?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centerfire_ammunition
Some relevant information.
Primer manufacture and insertion is the most dangerous part of small arms ammunition production. Sensitive priming compounds have claimed many lives including the founder of the famous British Eley ammunition firm. Modern commercial operations use protective shielding between operators and manufacturing equipment.[3]
The various proprietary priming formulations used by different manufacturers produced some significantly different ignition properties[9] until the United States issued military specifications for non-corrosive lead styphnate primers for 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge production.
Other explosives used in primers include lead azide, potassium perchlorate, or diazodinitrophenol (DDNP).
Military-surplus ammunition often uses inexpensive corrosive or slightly-corrosive Berdan primers because they work reliably under severe conditions, whereas modern Boxer primers are almost always non-corrosive and non-mercuric.
Nobody's commented on the primer thing?
Four secret facilities is real nice, but if we can't get the chemicals to make primers....
I learned a couple of years back that we can't even make ANTIBIOTICS in this country any more!
No wonder OhBlowMe breaks oit his kneepads every time Hu is in town...
We're so fucking DONE....
I'll echo the make your own. But the primer is one you cannot easily do at home.
Of course their shelf life in a cool, dry place is indefinite. I've recently been loading and shooting some that I've had since 1994.
"You do the math because I have and it's not pretty. Just 1 fact there are 4 that I know of "secret" facility's that are capable of supplying our nation in a national emergency with unlimited ammunition."
What meanest thou on this???
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