Orbital ATK receives contract for small-caliber ammunition for US Army.

Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced today that it has received new orders totaling more than $115 million to produce small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. Army. The Army placed orders for a variety of 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 caliber ammunition, which will be manufactured at the U.S. government-owned, Orbital ATK-operated Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri.

Ammunition belt for a .50BMG-caliber machinegun (source: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James R. Evans )

Orbital ATK is the largest manufacturer of small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. Department of Defense. Since 2000, Orbital ATK has produced more than 18 billion rounds of small-caliber ammunition at Lake City to primarily support U.S. and allied warfighters around the globe.

“This latest order continues a long history of supplying only the highest quality, most reliable ammunition to our warfighters,” said Jim Nichols, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK's Small Caliber Systems division of the Defense Systems Group. “Working with the U.S. Army, we will continue to focus on readiness, reducing risk, accelerating new capabilities while meeting operational demands and continuing key cost-effectiveness measures.”

Since 2012, Orbital ATK has invested over $100 million in the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant including capital and research and development. In collaboration with the U.S. Army, Orbital ATK has recently undertaken strategic and critical modernization projects that immediately resulted in cost savings, safety and quality improvement.

Orbital ATK’s Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable precision and strike weapons, advanced propulsion and hypersonics, missile components across air-, sea- and land-based systems, ammunition and related energetic products.