The US Army, in partnership with AMTEC Corporation, has inaugurated a new 40mm grenade production line and indoor test range at AMTEC’s facility in Janesville, Wisconsin, advancing efforts to expand and modernize domestic munitions manufacturing capacity. The move supports the Army’s broader initiative to strengthen the resilience of the US defense industrial base.
The Janesville site features a 72,000-square-foot manufacturing plant equipped with a new production line dedicated to the 40mm M918E2 High Velocity Target Practice cartridge, alongside a 200-meter indoor testing range. The Army invested approximately $21 million to establish the production line, reflecting increased focus on scaling ammunition output through modern infrastructure.
According to Army officials, the upgraded line replaces labor-intensive processes with a higher level of automation, enabling greater production efficiency and improved consistency. The M918E2 training round is designed for use with systems such as the MK19 automatic grenade launcher and the M203 and M320 grenade launchers, while incorporating features that prevent unexploded ordnance, reducing long-term safety risks on training ranges.
The cartridge also produces visible impact signatures that can be detected in daylight, low-light, and thermal conditions, supporting the Army’s “train as you fight” philosophy by enabling more realistic live-fire exercises. The new indoor test range will streamline quality assurance and safety evaluations, eliminating the need for off-site testing facilities. The Janesville plant is one of more than 10 new or modernized munitions facilities brought online since 2022 as part of the Army’s multi-billion-dollar push to expand ammunition production.
