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Privately-owned global munitions company NIOA Group has moved “inside the wire” and taken up residence at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey in an effort to enhance armament supply to the United States Army.
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The armament and munitions company, owned by the NIOA family, has signalled its intention to expand its reach in the US beyond the recent 100 per cent acquisition earlier this year of Tennessee-based Barrett Firearms.
Barrett is already a key supplier to the US Army and Special Operations Command, with active contracts for its MK 22 Multi-Role Adaptive Design precision sniper rifle and the M107A1 .50 cal semi-auto anti-materiel rifle.
NIOA Group chief executive officer Robert Nioa said the company’s expansion into the United States Army’s Joint Centre of Excellence for ammunition and weapons demonstrated its commitment to play a key role in armaments supply to the US Army and its allies.
“Picatinny Arsenal is a vital US hub for defence innovation and collaboration,” Nioa said.
“This strategic expansion comes at a crucial time and demonstrates NIOA’s long-term broader objective to strengthen allied defence capabilities.
“By establishing a stronger presence at Picatinny, NIOA hopes to facilitate closer collaboration with US government agencies to accelerate our contribution to global security.”
It also includes key organisations such as Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, Project Manager Soldier Lethality, and Combat Capability Development Command Armaments Center, as well as a workforce of more than 6,000 military, government, and civilian personnel.
The NIOA Group’s US-based advisory board members include a former commander of Picatinny Arsenal, Brigadier General (Ret’d) Alfred Abramson as well as former US under secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord.
NIOA’s Team at Picatinny includes Doreen Chaplin, who was previously the first assistant program executive office ammunition and Daniel Napolitano, who was previously program manager combat ammunition systems director of international programs.
The NIOA Group includes NIOA Inc (USA), NIOA Australia, NIOA New Zealand, the Australian Missile Corporation, Barrett Firearms (USA), and joint venture company Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions, as well as longstanding relationships with American companies such as General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Winchester through operation of the company’s Lake City ammunition plant.
Nioa said the trilateral AUKUS security agreement had underscored the growing importance of trans-Pacific partnerships between Australian defence companies and the US.
This was highlighted recently by calls from Dr William LaPlante, United States Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, for greater co-production, co-development and co-sustainment of weapons with close allies.
NIOA is a major tenant at the Australian government-owned, contractor-operated munitions facility at Benalla in Victoria where it is currently manufacturing 120mm munitions for the Abrams tank along with 30mm and 35mm cannon ammunition.
The company is also a joint venture partner with Rheinmetall of Germany in the Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions 155mm artillery forging facility in Maryborough, Queensland, delivering key munitions for US-allied nations.
