Manufacturer catalog

Pine Bluff Arsenal

Pine Bluff Arsenal is a U.S. Army government-owned, government-operated arsenal in Arkansas that supports munition, chemical/biological defense, and textile readiness for the joint force. Its catalog connection is strongest in smoke ammunition, illuminating and infrared munitions, white- and red-phosphorus filling, hand grenades, and related pyrotechnic manufacturing.

8 weapons

Pine Bluff Arsenal began in World War II as a production site for incendiary grenades and munitions, then expanded into pyrotechnic, riot-control, and chemical-filled munitions. Current Army and Joint Munitions Command material describes PBA as an organic industrial base site for manufacturing, engineering, pyrotechnic mixing and pressing, load-assemble-pack operations, depot storage, testing, and chemical/biological defense production.

For this catalog, PBA is relevant because connected entries include smoke hand grenades, M485-series 155 mm illumination projectiles, and M825A1 155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectiles. The arsenal is also designated as a Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for chemical and biological defense equipment, smoke ammunition, and textile manufacturing.

Smoke ammunitionIlluminating and infrared munitionsWhite- and red-phosphorus munition fillingHand grenadesChemical and biological defense equipmentProtective textilesDepot storage and surveillance

Notable Systems

M18/M83 smoke grenades

Army reporting described Pine Bluff Arsenal's ammunition operations directorate producing M18 and M83 smoke grenades and passing a 1.5 million-unit quality milestone.

Sources: PBA smoke grenade milestone
M485-series 155 mm illumination projectile, 155 mm illumination projectile, Artillery

M485-series 155 mm illumination projectile

155 mm illumination projectile

Army reporting on PBA smoke grenade production also identified continuing work on M485 155 mm illumination-round lines, while JMC lists illuminating and infrared munition production among PBA capabilities.

Sources: PBA smoke grenade milestone, PBA fact sheet
M825A1 155 mm White-Phosphorus Smoke Projectile, 155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectile, Artillery

M825A1 155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectile

155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectile

JMC describes PBA load-assemble-pack operations for white- and red-phosphorus filling and identifies smoke ammunition as a Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence area.

Sources: PBA fact sheet, PBA industrial brochure

Manufacturer History

  1. Established for incendiary munition work

    Pine Bluff Arsenal was established to manufacture and assemble incendiary grenades and munitions, then expanded into pyrotechnic, riot-control, and chemical-filled munitions.

    Sources: PBA fact sheet, Army PBA history

  2. Chemical and biological defense CITE designation

    The Secretary of the Army designated PBA as the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for chemical and biological defense equipment.

    Sources: PBA fact sheet

  3. Transferred under Joint Munitions Command

    After temporary management by Chemical and Biological Defense Command, PBA transferred under Joint Munitions Command.

    Sources: PBA fact sheet

  4. Smoke ammunition CITE designation

    PBA received a second Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence designation for smoke-based ammunition.

    Sources: PBA fact sheet

  5. Textile manufacturing CITE designation

    PBA received a third Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence designation for textile manufacturing.

    Sources: PBA fact sheet

  6. Enhanced-use lease for munitions modernization

    The Army announced an enhanced-use lease at Pine Bluff Arsenal for Hanwha Defense USA to build and operate a new munitions facility focused on explosives and propellant ingredients.

    Sources: Army Hanwha lease announcement

Website links
Official Pine Bluff Arsenal siteJoint Munitions Command fact sheetDVIDS Pine Bluff Arsenal unit page

Pine Bluff Arsenal is a U.S. Army government-owned, government-operated installation rather than a private company, so official Army, Joint Munitions Command, Pine Bluff Arsenal, and DVIDS sources are treated as primary builder-profile sources. The 2026 Hanwha lease is included as site modernization context, not as a subsidiary or successor relationship.

Manufacturer Sources

  • PBA official mission pagePublisher: Pine Bluff Arsenal | Note: Official Pine Bluff Arsenal page supporting the arsenal's mission, product and service areas, website identity, and current Army installation context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • PBA fact sheetPublisher: U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command | Note: Official fact sheet supporting PBA's address, mission, capabilities, CITE designations, Joint Munitions Command relationship, government-owned/government-operated ownership, and facilities context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • PBA industrial brochurePublisher: Pine Bluff Arsenal | Note: Official brochure supporting PBA capabilities including white and red phosphorus munition fill, smoke munitions and hand grenades, illuminating and infrared munition production, chemical/biological filters, textiles, and decontamination manufacturing. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Army PBA historyPublisher: The United States Army | Note: Army history article supporting the 1941 Chemical Warfare Arsenal origin, World War II incendiary munitions role, Cold War chemical and biological missions, and completion of chemical stockpile destruction in 2010. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • PBA smoke grenade milestonePublisher: The United States Army | Note: Army article supporting PBA production context for M18/M83 smoke grenades and work on M485 155 mm illumination-round lines. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Army Hanwha lease announcementPublisher: The United States Army | Note: Army announcement supporting the 2026 enhanced-use lease at Pine Bluff Arsenal for a Hanwha Defense USA munitions facility focused on explosives and propellant ingredients. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Encyclopedia of Arkansas Pine Bluff ArsenalPublisher: Central Arkansas Library System | Note: Secondary reference supporting historical background, chemical stockpile destruction context, and PBA's smoke, incendiary, pyrotechnic, and chemical defense clothing work. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • DVIDS headquarters building photoPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Image source for the Pine Bluff Arsenal headquarters building; DVIDS identifies the U.S. Army photo by Dori Whipple as public domain and directly tied to Pine Bluff Arsenal. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Produced weapons

Category

Artillery

Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.

2/2
M485-series 155 mm illumination projectile, 155 mm illumination projectile, Artillery2008 Gaza War, 2023 Israel-Hamas WarM485-series 155 mm illumination projectile155 mm illumination projectileBuilt in: United StatesThe M485-series 155 mm illumination projectile is a U.S.-origin visible-light artillery round that ejects a parachute flare to light battlefield areas for artillery observers and maneuver forces. Army sources describe the M485A2 as an updated visible-light round built through the Pine Bluff and Crane ammunition base, while conflict investigators documented M485A2-marked remnants in Gaza in 2009 and 2023.
M825A1 155 mm White-Phosphorus Smoke Projectile, 155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectile, Artillery2008 Gaza War, 2023 Israel-Hamas War +2 moreM825A1 155 mm White-Phosphorus Smoke Projectile155 mm white-phosphorus smoke projectileBuilt in: United StatesThe M825A1 is a U.S. 155 mm separate-loading, base-ejection white-phosphorus smoke projectile introduced in March 1985 for screening and marking. Army material describes its 116 felt-wedge payload and 5-15 minute smoke-screen effect, while Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Thai PBS Verify document M825/M825A1-family combat use from Gaza to the Thailand-Cambodia border.

Category

Infantry Weapons

Portable weapons used by soldiers and small units.

1/1
Smoke hand grenade, Hand-thrown smoke grenade, Infantry Weapons2014 Russia-Ukraine War, 2017 Battle of Marawi +1 moreSmoke hand grenadeHand-thrown smoke grenadeBuilt in: United StatesThe smoke hand grenade record centers on the U.S. M18 colored smoke grenade and related M83 TA smoke hand grenade, hand-thrown pyrotechnic munitions used for signaling, landing-zone or target marking, and short-duration screening. Army data lists green, yellow, red, and violet M18 variants, 50-to-90-second smoke duration, and a 30-meter throw range; DoD aid reporting also documents M18 smoke hand grenades among Presidential Drawdown Authority assistance for Ukraine.

Category

Munitions

Standalone missiles, bombs, rockets, torpedoes, and guided or unguided explosive payloads.

5/5
M721 60 mm visible light illumination cartridge, 60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions2001 War in Afghanistan, 2013 War in IraqM721 60 mm visible light illumination cartridge60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridgeBuilt in: United StatesThe M721 is a U.S. 60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridge for the M224/M224A1 lightweight company mortar system. Army ammunition materials describe a parachute-and-candle payload, an M776 mechanical time fuze, and roughly 300,000 candlepower for observation, fire adjustment, and signaling, while transfer and budget records place the round in Afghan and Iraqi partner-force ammunition channels.
M722A1 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge, 60 mm white phosphorous smoke mortar cartridge, Munitions2001 War in Afghanistan, 2013 War in IraqM722A1 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge60 mm white phosphorous smoke mortar cartridgeBuilt in: United StatesThe M722A1 is a U.S. 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge for the M224/M224A1 Lightweight Company Mortar System. Army ammunition documents describe it as a spotting and marking round with a bulk-loaded white phosphorous projectile and an electronic M783 PD/DLY fuze, while transfer and budget records place the round in Afghan and Iraqi partner-force ammunition channels.
M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions2014 Russia-Ukraine War, 2014 War Against the Islamic StateM930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge120 mm illuminating mortar cartridgeBuilt in: United StatesThe M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge is a U.S. 120 mm mortar round produced for the M120A1 towed and M121 carrier-mounted mortar systems. Army sources describe it as a parachute-retarded visible-light round with 1,000,000 candlepower and about 50 seconds of burn time, while official OIR and Ukraine budget documents place M930 rounds in partner-force and Ukrainian transfer contexts.