Joe Biden’s Hometown: Producing War Machinery for Ukraine

The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) has a long history, starting as a site built in 1908 for constructing and maintaining steam locomotives. After being purchased by the US government in 1953, it began producing ammunition for the Korean War and has since evolved to make steel tubes for 155 mm caliber shells crucial to Kyiv’s defense efforts.

The facility’s equipment and structure reflect its historic roots, lacking modern high-tech efficiency, with production processes being largely manual. The steel tubes undergo various treatments to ensure quality, including cooling, heat, ultrasound, polishing, and inspection for defects.

Despite the facility’s age, it has a good safety record, with no incidents traced back to its operations. Richard Hansen, a retired US Navy veteran in charge of the facility, emphasized the plant’s historical significance and the intricacies of the production process during a tour for journalists.

While Hansen is forthcoming about the plant’s history and current production capacity, specific details about the number of tubes produced and their battlefield usage are kept confidential. The current contract involves the production of 24,000 tubes a month in three factories in eastern Pennsylvania, employing a total of 900 people.

Plans for modernization and expansion were in place before the conflict in Ukraine, with a $418 million modernization plan set to increase efficiency and production capacity. Despite the ongoing war, production has not been escalated due to it, although the plant has the flexibility to increase output as necessary.

Another General Dynamics facility is anticipated to commence operations in Texas, complementing the existing facilities in Pennsylvania.