As part of its quest to boost weapons production, the US Army is reestablishing TNT production on US soil, inking a deal to build out a new facility in Graham.

For the first time in decades, the USA will produce TNT on its own soil, manufacturing the explosive material that the military uses for everything from hand grenades to 155mm artillery, Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a press release.

McConnell’s comments came after the service announced a new $435 million deal last Friday, tasking Repkon USA with designing and building out the new explosives production facility that should be completed by early November 2028.

TNT is used to produce an array of explosive weapons, including ammunition, bombs, and 155-millimetre artillery rounds, but the military has been reliant on overseas sources till today. The decision to build out a new production comes as service leaders work to scale weapon production in the wake of the Ukraine war, including 155mm artillery rounds.

By fiscal 2026, the service is aiming to have the capacity to produce 100,000 rounds each month. 

Towards that, the US Army plans to spend $4.2 billion to build up the industrial base across various initiatives, to include commissioning three new domestic facilities to support 155mm production and a new metal parts production facility in Canada. 

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