Mentioned:Watervliet Arsenal
The U.S. Army is soliciting manufacturers for 155mm howitzer barrels as Watervliet Arsenal, the government's sole current producer, cannot meet demand. The Army wants contractors capable of producing up to 10 barrels per month within 36 months.
What's happening
- The Army issued a Sources Sought notice with a Nov. 23 deadline, asking contractors to bid on 155mm howitzer barrel production.
- Contractors must demonstrate capacity to produce barrels within 18 months and scale to 10 barrels per month by month 36.
- The notice requests cost estimates for an initial production quantity of 40 cannon tubes in various calibers or flexible mixes.
- Watervliet Arsenal in New York is currently the only U.S. government facility manufacturing large-caliber barrels for howitzers and tanks.
Why it matters
- Ukraine's heavy use of M777 howitzers created demand exceeding 30 M776 tubes per month, which Watervliet cannot meet with current capacity.
- Domestic stockpile replenishment and continued Ukraine operations require a second or supplementary manufacturing source to avoid supply gaps.
- Barrel production is a critical constraint; ammunition expansion efforts remain bottlenecked by worn-out cannon barrel replacement capacity.
- Establishing new production capacity reduces reliance on Watervliet's aging infrastructure and mitigates single-source production risk.
Going deeper
- The notice specifies technical requirements including chrome bore coatings on steel tubes up to 30 feet long and 7,500 pounds in weight.
- Desired capabilities include boring, milling, rifling, steel preform production, forging, guide bore and heat treatment.
- A 2024 Pentagon budget document flagged Watervliet's inability to meet demand and requested emergency funding for a second barrel manufacturer.
- The Army is also exploring replacement of the M777 with a platform based on Korea's K9 howitzer, which could alter future barrel demand.
The fine print
- The notice does not specify the total number of additional manufacturers needed to meet the stated production targets.
- Contractors may propose their own capacity or their subcontractors' capacity to meet manufacturing requirements.
- The deadline for contractors to submit capability details is Nov. 23, following the October 22 notice date.
Source: Defense News · Oct 22, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
