SCHUMER REVEALS: CONGRESS AND THE U.S. ARMY TO INVEST OVER $1.7 BILLION IN WATERVLIET ARSENAL OVER NEXT 20 YEARS – THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE FACILITY – TO MODERNIZE FACILITY, UPGRADE EQUIPMENT, AND BOLSTER WORKFORCE TO SECURE WATERVLIET AS HEART OF ARMY CANNON MANUFACTURING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

After Years Of Advocacy For Historic Watervliet Arsenal, Schumer Will Reveal Largest Investment By Army In Arsenal’s History In Over 200 Years Of Operation, With More On The Way To Breathe New Life Into Watervliet

For Centuries, Watervliet Has Played A Vital Role In America’s Defense, But That Has Not Always Translated Into Funding, With Cutbacks Often Putting Future Of Facility In Doubt; Now Schumer Says Congress And The Army Are Investing BIG To Breathe New Life Into Watervliet To Secure Its Long Term Future As An Essential Part Of The Army’s Mission

Schumer: BOOM! Watervliet Arsenal Will Be The Heart Of The Army’s Cannon Production For Generations To Come

Building on years of advocacy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the Watervliet Arsenal will receive the largest investment in the facility’s two-hundred-year history, totaling over $1.7 billion to upgrade and modernize the facility over the next two decades.

Schumer said the Arsenal has played a vital role in America’s defense as the nation’s sole producer of large-bore cannons and other critical artillery, but for nearly half a century that rarely translated into funding for the 800 civilian employee workforce, often putting the future of the Arsenal in doubt.

Senator Schumer said, “BOOM! This record-breaking $1.7 billion – the largest investment in the history of the Watervliet Arsenal – will bring critical funding to modernize the Arsenal’s buildings and machinery over the next twenty years, promoting job retention and creation in the Capital Region, bolstering the base’s almost 800 civilian employees, and making this rare Army-operated industrial manufacturing facility in Upstate NY the heart of our nation’s cannon production for generations to come.”

“Built during the War of 1812, the Watervliet Arsenal has been a pillar of America’s defense, producing cannons and artillery to support our troops and allies, but for nearly half a century the facility has changed very little with aging equipment and infrastructure, that often left the community to doubt what the future would look like for the Watervliet Arsenal. Now that is all changing. Watervliet is receiving the largest investment in the Arsenal’s history, nearly $1.7 billion over the next two decades to its long term future as an essential part of the U.S. Army’s mission,” said Senator Schumer. “For years, we had to fend off other states who wanted to try and establish alternatives to Watervliet’s status as the sole source of our nation’s large caliber cannon, but now it is clear that Watervliet is the unequivocal home of the Army’s cannon production.”

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this infusion of federal funding that will secure Watervliet and our Capital Region as a vital center for our military operations,” Congressman Paul Tonko said. “Thanks to years of combined advocacy, the Watervliet Arsenal is now poised to receive hundreds of millions of dollars over the next two decades to upgrade critical machinery and equipment and bring this historic facility into the twenty-first century. I’m proud to be here alongside Majority Leader Schumer to witness the results of our efforts, and I look forward to seeing this funding bolster the Arsenal’s status as a state-of-the-art facility and key employer in our region.”

Schumer explained this historic $1.7 billion over the next two decades will go towards several modernization projects to update the Watervliet Arsenal’s buildings and machinery, which first opened during the War of 1812 and has produced critical cannon for America’s Army over the past 200 years. Starting  this year, the U.S. Army plans to invest $230 million for five active modernization projects and 5 additional planned projects. Highlights of these projects include: replacing the rotary forge, quality inspection improvements, crane refurbishments, infrastructure improvements and upgrades to various machines throughout the Arsenal.

Schumer added, “This historic new investment, with over $230 million already flowing to the facility this year to jumpstart modernization efforts in the factory, will substantially upgrade the manufacturing equipment and production facilities at the installation to prepare it to stay an essential part of the Army’s mission for generations to come.”

Next year, the Army plans invest another $130.5 million for modernization at the facility and will distribute the rest of the $1.7 billion over the next two decades up until Fiscal Year (FY) 38. The arsenal plans to soon order a new rotary forge, replacing the existing one from 1976. This locomotive-sized machine, which extends one story underground, hammers and rotates white-hot steel billets, forming them into the large cannon barrel tubes the Watervliet Arsenal has long been known for producing. Around it, other equipment will be organized for maximum efficiency. Building 35, is where the roughly forged cannon tubes are sent to be smoothly machined.  Schumer explained how the Arsenal has always been a world class machine shop, however most of the units date back to the 1980’s when Congressman Samuel Stratton championed the last major investment into the campus under Project REARM - or Renovation of Armament Manufacturing.

While the last major modernization effort was done during the 1980’s, Schumer said that still other machines date all the way back to World War II.  These older machining units are actively being replaced with high tech, computer aided machining pods, each of the recently installed units replaced roughly three older machines, boosting productivity and cutting space needed. Schumer said this historic investment demonstrates the Army Materiel Command’s strong commitment to the Arsenal and will set up Watervliet’s committed workforce for success for decades to come, providing the resources needed for them to continue to produce the best and most technically advanced cannon barrels in the world for our brave service men and women as they defend our nation, as well as contracted work for our allies.

Constructed in 1813, the Watervliet Arsenal has played a vital role in America’s defense throughout its long history producing large caliber cannon, different sized mortar tubes, and the breeches for each.  In addition, the facility has the capability to efficiently take on emergency projects, such as when it produced armor hardening kits for Humvees, after they became targets of IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In 1991, during the Gulf War, the Army found it needed a more robust explosive device to reach Iraqi’s deeply buried command and control bunkers.  In just 23 days’ time, the Watervliet Arsenal developed and produced the first “Bunker Buster” bombs, by modifying Howitzer tubes into 5,000 pound bomb casings. But more than land, equipment, and buildings, the Arsenal represents thousands of great Americans who have proudly served their country since 1813 by supporting our nation’s war fighters and allies for over 200 years.

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