Norcross, Sherrill Attend Briefing, Meet Workers & Tour Munitions Projects at Picatinny Arsenal

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01) and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), members of the House Armed Services Committee, visited Picatinny Arsenal on Tuesday. They received a briefing from Brigadier General Vincent Malone, Commanding General, Picatinny Arsenal and Program Executive Officer, Armaments and Ammunition. Along with the briefing, they toured the new munitions disassembly complex site that broke ground in March 2020 and the facility for the Extended Range Cannon Artillery, which is in development at Picatinny, and met with Arsenal workforce leaders.

“Picatinny is not only a vital component of the local economy and workforce, it is uniquely critical to our nation’s defense,” said Congressman Norcross, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Force. “The cutting-edge research and facility upgrades being conducted keep our servicemembers – and all Americans – safe. I’d like to thank Congresswoman Sherrill for welcoming me to her district, as well as Brigadier General Malone and the servicemembers and staff who are dedicated to the important work here at Picatinny for all branches of the U.S. military.”

The Munitions Disassembly Facility will enable Picatinny Arsenal to research the most effective ways to disassemble complex munitions used to attack our soldiers and sailors. The facility will also house a robotics research center and five munitions storage magazines. Sherrill and Norcross were instrumental in securing funding for the facility.

“Thank you to Brigadier General Malone and all of the soldiers and staff for hosting Congressman Norcross and I and the Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee staff to discuss the critical supply chain issues and infrastructure upgrades that will allow Picatinny to remain on the cutting edge of munitions research and disposal,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Picatinny is vital to our local economy and essential to the modernization of the American military. I will continue to use my position on the Armed Services Committee to advocate for Picatinny and the men and women who work here and do so much to keep our country safe.”

The Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) is a pillar of the Army’s Long Range Precision Fires modernization goals. ERCA enables the military to accurately fire a projectile over an extended distance, hitting targets up to forty miles away. The system was developed at Picatinny Arsenal.

Picatinny Arsenal is Morris County’s largest employer and the Department of Defense’s Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition, providing products, services and 90 percent of the lethal weapons to all branches of the U.S. military.

Click here for video of today’s remarks. Click here for photos of the press conference.

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