The Army’s munitions industrial base is expanding and modernizing to prepare for the future fight, the commanding general of Joint Munitions Command said.

“The Army’s [organic industrial base] is crucial to military readiness and national security,” Brig. Gen. Daniel Duncan said during testimony before the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee. “The OIB ensures DoD can meet their joint force demands in war and peace.”

The Army’s organic industrial base produces, maintains and repairs military equipment, including everything from ammunition to weapons systems, in government owned and operated facilities, he said.

Plants, depots and arsenals are constantly striving to improve and modernize munitions for the warfighter, Duncan said. “We have a great foundation,” he said, but “we’re continuing … to look at process improvement and key modernization investments.”

The Russia-Ukraine war highlighted the importance of investing in the Army’s munitions capabilities, including “major investments in U.S. steel companies” to increase production of 155 mm artillery rounds, said Maj. Gen. John Reim, joint program executive officer for armaments and ammunition and commanding general of Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey.

“Ukraine has really highlighted the significant demand and … the investments that are being made in infrastructure and our Army ammunition plants,” he said.

Many key materials needed to produce ammunition aren’t manufactured in the U.S., he said. The Army began looking for international, “friendly” sourcing, but “in terms of national security and kind of long-term strategy, we need to make those investments here in the U.S.,” Reim said.

The Army also has launched a 15-year, $18 billion effort to modernize facilities, processes and the workforce to bring the organic industrial base into the 21st century, infusing industry best practices and refining human capital management structures to maximize workforce skills and capabilities.

Investing in the Army’s munitions is vital, speakers from the hearing wrote in a joint statement to the subcommittee. “Due to the current and future security challenges presented by our adversaries, we will have to continue to work as a Department and with Congress to quickly adapt to the ever-changing landscape,” they wrote. “As we look ahead, continued optimized investment in the munitions industrial base and modernization efforts at OIB facilities are critical in sustaining national security and supporting the warfighter.”