Holston Army Ammunition Plant
Encyclopedia
The mission of Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HSAAP) is to manufacture Research Department Explosive (RDX
) and High Melting Explosive (HMX
) for ammunition production and development. Research and development plays a vital role in the production of new and better explosives and products. It is government-owned and contractor-operated (GOCO). Information Provided by the Joint Munitions Command
The Holston Army Ammunition Plant, also known as the Holston Ordnance Works, was constructed by Tennessee Eastman in Kingsport, Tennessee
to manufacture explosives during World War II
.
BAE Systems'
division Ordnance Systems, Inc. currently operates the plant under a 25-year facilities use contract. On May 12, 2011, the Army announced that BAE Systems had won the contract to operate Radford Army Ammunition Plant
in nearby Radford, VA
as well.
. The two plants are connected by rail. Plant A has 120 acre (0.4856232 km²). Plant B has 5900 acres (23.9 km²). The site as a whole includes 465 buildings.
and continues today. The installation was re-named Holston Army Ammunition Plant [HSAAP or HAAP] in the early 1960s. Holston Defense Corporation operated the facility from 1949 through 1999 under a series of cost reimbursement contracts with the U. S. Army.
The plant was constructed 1942-1944 for use by the government contractor, Tennessee Eastman Corporation, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak
. During World War II, it manufactured Composition B
, a very powerful explosive mixture of RDX
and TNT. The facility was placed in standby status after World War II, producing only fertilizer, until it was reactivated in 1949 under the Holston Defense Corporation, a new subsidiary of Eastman Kodak.
During the Korean War, the plant continued to manufacture Composition B as well as rework its stockpiled Composition B. New production lines were built during 1951-1954 in order to produce for the war. However, after the Korean War it was reduced to a one-line operation. It did not resume large-scale production until the mid-1960s when it was again modernized to produce large amounts of Composition B for the Vietnam War
.
After 1973, production was again reduced to a much smaller amount, but the plant also began producing “special-order” explosives and propellants for the Armed Services, including the Navy
’s Trident missile
program. It also handles and stores material for the national defense stockpile.
As of 1988, the plant produced all of the RDX/HMX
consumed in the USA, and 90 percent of that used by all of the nations friendly to the USA.
275000 square feet (25,548.3 m²).Information Provided by the Joint Munitions Command
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
) and High Melting Explosive (HMX
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...
) for ammunition production and development. Research and development plays a vital role in the production of new and better explosives and products. It is government-owned and contractor-operated (GOCO). Information Provided by the Joint Munitions Command
The Holston Army Ammunition Plant, also known as the Holston Ordnance Works, was constructed by Tennessee Eastman in Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
to manufacture explosives during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
BAE Systems'
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
division Ordnance Systems, Inc. currently operates the plant under a 25-year facilities use contract. On May 12, 2011, the Army announced that BAE Systems had won the contract to operate Radford Army Ammunition Plant
Radford Army Ammunition Plant
The primary mission of Radford Army Ammunition Plant is to manufacture propellants and explosives in support of field artillery, air defense, tank, missile, aircraft and Navy weapons systems...
in nearby Radford, VA
Radford, Virginia
Radford is a city in Virginia, United States. The population was 16,408 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County, including the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, calling the combination the...
as well.
Capabilities
Capabilities of the plant include: production and development of insensitive munitions explosives; synthesis and manufacture of high explosives; recrystallization and purification from organic solvents; melt-cast, cast-cured, pressed and extruded explosives formulation; explosives performance testing; full-spectrum explosives research and development capability; and custom and fine chemical manufacture for the defense industry. Information Provided by the Joint Munitions CommandCurrent operations
The current plant is on two sites: Plant A is in Kingsport, and Plant B is about 4 miles (6.4 km) away in a less developed part of Hawkins CountyHawkins County, Tennessee
Hawkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 56,833. Its county seat is Rogersville, Tennessee's second-oldest town....
. The two plants are connected by rail. Plant A has 120 acre (0.4856232 km²). Plant B has 5900 acres (23.9 km²). The site as a whole includes 465 buildings.
History
Holston Ordnance Works [HOW] was established in July 1942 and stopped production in 1945. It was reactivated in 1949 in response to the impending Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and continues today. The installation was re-named Holston Army Ammunition Plant [HSAAP or HAAP] in the early 1960s. Holston Defense Corporation operated the facility from 1949 through 1999 under a series of cost reimbursement contracts with the U. S. Army.
The plant was constructed 1942-1944 for use by the government contractor, Tennessee Eastman Corporation, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
. During World War II, it manufactured Composition B
Composition B
Composition B, colloquially "comp B", is an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT. It is used as the main explosive filling in artillery projectiles, rockets, land mines, hand grenades, sticky bombs and various other munitions...
, a very powerful explosive mixture of RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
and TNT. The facility was placed in standby status after World War II, producing only fertilizer, until it was reactivated in 1949 under the Holston Defense Corporation, a new subsidiary of Eastman Kodak.
During the Korean War, the plant continued to manufacture Composition B as well as rework its stockpiled Composition B. New production lines were built during 1951-1954 in order to produce for the war. However, after the Korean War it was reduced to a one-line operation. It did not resume large-scale production until the mid-1960s when it was again modernized to produce large amounts of Composition B for the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
After 1973, production was again reduced to a much smaller amount, but the plant also began producing “special-order” explosives and propellants for the Armed Services, including the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
’s Trident missile
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
program. It also handles and stores material for the national defense stockpile.
As of 1988, the plant produced all of the RDX/HMX
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. Like RDX, the name has been variously listed as High Melting eXplosive, Her Majesty's eXplosive, High-velocity Military eXplosive, or High-Molecular-weight rdX.The molecular...
consumed in the USA, and 90 percent of that used by all of the nations friendly to the USA.
Facilities
HSAAP is housed on 6024 acres (24.4 km²) with 325 buildings, 130 igloos and storage capacity of275000 square feet (25,548.3 m²).Information Provided by the Joint Munitions Command