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Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) is an ammunitions manufacturing complex with facilities located in Pulaski and Montgomery Counties, Virginia. The primary mission of the RFAAP is to manufacture propellants and explosives in support of field artillery, air defense, tank, missile, aircraft and Navy weapons systems. As of 2011 RFAAP is operated by BAE Systems making it the sole supplier of TNT to the US Department of Defense.
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History
RFAAP was established April 5, 1941 as Radford Ordnance Works and New River Plant. In 1945, the works was renamed Radford Arsenal and the New River Ordnance Works was assumed as a subpost until 1950, when it became an integral part of the Radford Arsenal. In 1961 the arsenal was renamed Radford Ordnance Plant and RFAAP in 1963. The facility used an ALCO MRS-1 military diesel locomotive, road number B2072, for switching, which was retired by the 1980s and scrapped at Cycle Systems in Roanoke, Virginia around 1993.
In 1995, Alliant Techsystems, parent company ATK Armament Systems, obtained a “facilities use” contract. In 1999, RFAAP gained the load, assembly and pack mission with the closure of Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, Joliet, Ill. The center manufactures propellant and explosives. On May 12, 2011, the Army announced that BAE Systems had won the "facilities use" contract to become the plant operator. .
In July 2016, RFAAP released a statement regarding the security of the arsenal in response to the mobile game Pokémon Go. A number of civilians were attempting to gain access to the facility to catch Charizard, which is reportedly located in the arsenal's rocket and water tower. RFAAP stated that “This is a secure facility. Trespassers will be prosecuted. We are trying to keep all persons safe.” Many of those trying to gain access for the recreational purpose are students at nearby Radford University and Virginia Tech.
Facilities
RFAAP is housed on 4,600 acres (19 km2) with 1,038 buildings, 214 igloos and storage capacity of 657,003 square feet where the New River divides Pulaski from Montgomery County.
RFAAP is home to several tenants of similar industry, including:
Environmental problems
In June 2015 the plant requested a renewal of its permit of an open burning ground which it has used for decades to dispose of its waste. The ground is "located on the north bank of the New River in the Horseshoe Area, a section of the plant surrounded on three sides by the river". Rapid modernization is addressing this concern.