August 19, 2011 NSWC Indian Head Public Affairs- defpro.com
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. | Following a brief ceremony Aug. 12, the U.S. Navy has officially transferred responsibility for naval gun engineering support from Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division's Louisville, Ky., detachment, to its detachment at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.
The transfer to Picatinny Arsenal occurred under the provisions of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.
About 40 Louisville employees are now part of the Picatinny detachment, 22 on site and 18 at off site locations. These employees will continue to provide engineering support to naval gun systems on fleet ships.
The detachment's history began shortly before the U.S. entry into World War II. On November 20, 1940, Louisville was selected as the location for the final assembly and testing for the Navy's medium caliber gun mounts.
Prior to U.S. entry into the Second World War, the Navy felt the middle of America was an ideal location for an ordnance facility as it would be further away from potential adversaries near the coasts. The attack on Pearl Harbor only a year later validated that idea. Shortly thereafter, the Naval Ordnance Plant Louisville manufactured its first piece of equipment and delivered it for inspection and testing.
The Louisville plant underwent a name change to Naval Ordnance Station Louisville to better reflect its evolved function and growing workload. The station experienced numerous changes during its 70 year history, but the one constant was the detachment's workforce.
"The Louisville detachment set an early "full speed ahead" mentality that drove a culture of excellence and dedication which still exists," said Capt. Andy Buduo, NSWC Indian Head's commanding officer.
/fdata%2F4220908%2Favatar-blog-1207340840-tmpphpbvDubc.jpeg){kind=avatar}
