TAMPA, FL – (April 1, 2026) – The U.S. Government has awarded a four-year contract to Global Military Products to take over facility management and new product development of the Army’s Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility (QCCCF) at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill. The change in operation management will help boost predictable and sustainable workload at the facility, while expanding on the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation’s defense industrial base.
“The Army’s Rock Island Arsenal has been in operation for more than a century to keep our country lethal and ready, with the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility focused on production of brass and steel cartridges,” said Jeff Brunozzi, president, Global Ordnance Holdings, LLC. “Under this agreement, we will leverage the facility’s capacity and employees’ capabilities to better serve the U.S. and its allies by expanding current cartridge case production and establishing a Mortar Barrel Production Center of Excellence.”
The 180,000 square-foot QCCCF has deep-drawn forging technology that produces brass and steel cartridge cases, ranging from 40mm through 155mm. In addition to managing the current workload, Global Military Products will look to add production of additional cartridge cases in support of its contracts for both U.S. and non-NATO cartridge cases. This effort leverages the facility’s existing and underutilized manufacturing tooling assets, equipment and workforce while replenishing critical cartridge case inventories for the U.S. and partner-nation demand.
Global Military Products will also establish a domestic Mortar Barrel Production Center of Excellence within the QCCCF in partnership with Ellwood National Forge (ENF). Establishing a second source, solely U.S.-based production capability mitigates risk, improves readiness, strengthens supply chain resilience and aligns with government priorities for expanding critical munitions manufacturing under the U.S. Industrial Base Modernization Strategy. QCCCF will remain a government-owned facility, creating a reliable, scalable and domestic source for critical mortar components and reducing supply chain vulnerability for U.S. and allied forces.
“By integrating mortar barrel production into QCCCF’s expansive and well-structured manufacturing layout, we will create a second-source domestic capability for 81mm and 120mm mortar systems,” said James Knight, Director of Business Development, Global Military Products. “Our approach will both enhance the facility’s operational versatility and transform its unused capacity into a strategically relevant manufacturing node for critical mortar barrels.”
The teams at Global Military Products and ENF leading this effort have extensive experience with modernization efforts and plant management, including leading and supporting modernization efforts at Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP), Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HSAAP) and Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP). These efforts were planned and sequenced to minimize production impact, reduce technical risk, and maintain compliance with Army safety and quality standards.
As part of the ELLWOOD Group, ENF has drawn on the vertically integrated capability to design, melt, remelt and forge steel ingots to ensure consistent supply of high-quality cannon and artillery barrels and component forgings ranging from 81–155mm for the past 40 years. This long production experience has enabled ENF to fully develop, mature, and continuously improve its manufacturing and quality processes. ENF’s technical expertise, customer service orientation and breadth of offerings is a demonstrated capability for achieving effective results at QCCCF.
The four-year Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract is firm-fixed price. The contract value is not being disclosed.
Photos by Dori Whipple, Joint Munitions Command
