The US Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract valued at as much as $780 million over the next five years to continue producing explosives at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Tennessee. Under this contract, the company received an initial $18.4 million order to produce additional quantities of IMX-101, insensitive munitions that is approved by the Army as a safe and effective replacement for TNT in artillery rounds.

“The work we do at Holston is critical to the defence of our nation and to the safety of our men and women in uniform,” said Erin Moseley, President of BAE Systems’ Support Solutions sector. “IMX-101 is truly innovative and is revolutionising military ordnance. Once fully fielded, it will help to save lives on and off the battlefield.”

BAE Systems developed IMX-101 and fielded it in partnership with the Army at the Holston plant, which the company operates and manages for the government. IMX-101 is part of a new family of explosives under development called insensitive munitions explosives (IMX). These explosive formulations are significantly more stable than conventional TNT and composition B, making the weapon systems they support safer for troops to transport and handle.