Army says US to restart domestic TNT production at plant in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Kentucky: The U.S. Army announced this week that it has awarded a US$435 million contract to construct a TNT production facility in western Kentucky.

According to officials, this will become the nation’s first domestic source of the explosive in decades.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was instrumental in securing funding for the project. He stated that the new TNT facility in his home state of Kentucky is part of a larger effort to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base to better deter international adversaries. Trinitrotoluene, or TNT, is an essential component used in artillery shells, bombs, and grenades.

The Army emphasized that establishing a domestic source of TNT is crucial for national defense, as the current supply chain relies entirely on foreign sources. According to Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, the Kentucky plant is a key part of the Army’s strategy to bolster munitions production, ensuring “timely access to essential resources” for the U.S. military.

Repkon USA received the contract to build the plant in Graham, Muhlenberg County, roughly 136 miles southwest of Louisville. The construction phase is expected to create between 200 and 250 jobs, with approximately 50 permanent positions once the plant is operational.

Republican U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie, a former artillery officer, pointed to the Ukraine-Russia conflict as a reminder of the importance of maintaining ample explosive supplies, particularly TNT, the primary explosive in 155mm artillery shells.

Bryan Van Brunt, president of Repkon USA Holdings Inc., described the project as a “historic opportunity” to create a production facility vital to the military for decades to come.

McConnell, who has two years remaining in his current term and is nearing the end of his Senate leadership role, has long advocated for a strong U.S. defense as a deterrent to foreign threats. He recently stated he would step down from his leadership position sometime after the upcoming election.

McConnell frequently invokes Ronald Reagan’s principle of “peace through strength” in addressing foreign policy challenges.

His views often contrast with President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine, highlighting a divide within the Republican Party over foreign policy-whether to align more closely with allies, as McConnell supports, or focus inward. McConnell remains a staunch advocate for U.S. support of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

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