Manufacturer catalog

Watervliet Arsenal

Watervliet Arsenal is the U.S. Army's cannon, mortar, and large-caliber weapon manufacturing installation in Watervliet, New York, best known in this catalog for M224 mortar components, M40 recoilless rifles, and related precision-machined artillery parts.

4 weapons

Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned and operated manufacturing installation in Watervliet, New York. The Army describes it as America's Cannon and Mortar Factory and says it is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, with operations dating to 1813.

Its modern mission centers on manufacturing cannons, mortars, tank tubes, howitzer components, and other complex machined items for U.S., allied, partner, and commercial customers. Army reporting on recent mortar and howitzer work also describes Watervliet as a source of close-tolerance barrels, baseplates, breech blocks, muzzle brakes, and breech rings.

The arsenal's catalog footprint is therefore split between current mortar support and older U.S. direct-fire or artillery systems. The M224 item reflects continuing 60 mm mortar component production, while the M40 recoilless rifle connects the installation to a Cold War weapon that later appeared on ground mounts and M50 Ontos vehicles.

Cannon manufacturingMortar systemsPrecision machiningDefense manufacturing

Notable Systems

M224, 60 mm lightweight company mortar, Artillery

M224 60 mm mortar

60 mm lightweight company mortar

Watervliet Arsenal is publicly tied to M224 mortar baseplate and barrel production in Army contract reporting.

Sources: Watervliet mortar baseplate contract, Watervliet mortar barrel contract
M40 106 mm recoilless rifle, 106 mm crew-served recoilless rifle, Infantry Weapons

M40 106 mm recoilless rifle

106 mm crew-served recoilless rifle

Army Sustainment Command identifies Watervliet Arsenal as the manufacturer of the M40 rifles installed on the M50 Ontos; the same catalog record covers the stand-alone M40 family.

Sources: RIA Ordnance Tour: M50 Ontos

Manufacturer History

  1. Operations begin

    The Army's official Watervliet Arsenal pages describe the installation as operating since 1813 and as the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States.

    Sources: Message from the Commander

  2. Redesigned 60 mm mortar barrels ship

    Army reporting says Watervliet released the first shipment of redesigned lightweight 60 mm mortar barrels under a contract valued at more than $9.5 million.

    Sources: Watervliet mortar barrel contract

  3. Baseplate contract expands mortar work

    The Army reported that Watervliet received a contract to manufacture more than 1,600 60 mm mortar baseplates for TACOM Life Cycle Management Command.

    Sources: Watervliet mortar baseplate contract

  4. Indian Army howitzer order

    The Army reported a $47 million order for Watervliet to manufacture 145 howitzer cannon systems for India's M777 foreign military sales program, including tubes and tightly machined components such as breech blocks, muzzle brakes, and breech rings.

    Sources: Indian Army howitzer order

Website links
Official siteMessage from the CommanderContact Us

Watervliet Arsenal is a federal installation rather than a corporate manufacturer. Official Army and Army Sustainment Command sources are the primary references for its naming, command relationships, and production history.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Official sitePublisher: U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal | Note: Supports the public name, overall mission, and the arsenal's identity as an Army-owned manufacturing installation. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Message from the CommanderPublisher: U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal | Note: Supports the cannon-and-mortar factory description, the 1813 origin claim, the Hudson River / Capital Region location, and the installation's production mission. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Privacy and Security StatementPublisher: U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal | Note: Supports the official site identity of the Joint Manufacturing & Technology Center Watervliet Arsenal and the Watervliet, NY 12189-4050 mailing location. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Watervliet mortar barrel contractPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports Watervliet Arsenal's 2011 production of redesigned lightweight 60 mm mortar barrels and its mortar-manufacturing role. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Watervliet mortar baseplate contractPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports Watervliet Arsenal's 2013 contract to manufacture more than 1,600 60 mm mortar baseplates. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • RIA Ordnance Tour: M50 OntosPublisher: U.S. Army Sustainment Command | Note: Supports Watervliet Arsenal as the manufacturer of the M40 recoilless rifles used on the M50 Ontos and gives related 105 mm / 106 mm designation context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Indian Army howitzer orderPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports Watervliet Arsenal's modern large-caliber weapon manufacturing role, including howitzer cannon systems and close-tolerance subcomponents for the Indian Army M777 foreign military sales order. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Watervliet Arsenal museum.GIFPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Army image used to illustrate the installation itself; Commons records the file as public domain and ties it to Watervliet Arsenal's museum building. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Produced weapons

Category

Artillery

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

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M224, 60 mm lightweight company mortar, Artillery2014 Russia-Ukraine War, 2014 War Against the Islamic State +1 moreM22460 mm lightweight company mortarBuilt in: United StatesThe M224 is a U.S. 60 mm lightweight company mortar built for infantry close-support fires from either a conventional bipod/baseplate setup or a lighter handheld mode. Its 70- to 3,490-meter conventional-mode range, high-angle fire, and mix of high-explosive, smoke, illumination, and training cartridges make it useful for small-unit suppression, screening, marking, and illumination; documented uses include Ukrainian front-line employment, U.S. coalition advise-and-assist fires during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, and U.S. Army field use in Afghanistan.
120mm Soltam K6, 120 mm smoothbore heavy mortar, Artillery2001 War in Afghanistan, 2003 Iraq War +2 more120mm Soltam K6120 mm smoothbore heavy mortarBuilt in: Israel / United StatesThe 120mm Soltam K6 is an Israeli smoothbore heavy mortar family that became the U.S. Army's M120 towed mortar and M121 carrier-mounted mortar. It gives infantry, mechanized, and partner-force units battalion-level high-angle fire support from a 120 mm tube, with direct source records spanning Afghanistan, Iraq, the anti-ISIS campaign, and K-6/M120 transfer and training context for Ukraine.

Category

Infantry Weapons

Portable weapons used by soldiers and small units.

1/1
M40 106 mm recoilless rifle, 106 mm crew-served recoilless rifle, Infantry Weapons1955 Vietnam War, 2001 War in Afghanistan +4 moreM40 106 mm recoilless rifle106 mm crew-served recoilless rifleBuilt in: United StatesThe M40 106 mm recoilless rifle is a U.S.-origin crew-served direct-fire weapon built around a 105 mm-class round but commonly identified by its 106 mm designation. It served on ground carriages and vehicle mounts such as the M50 Ontos, remained useful for anti-armor and bunker work after newer missiles appeared, and is documented in conflicts from Vietnam to Libya, Mali, Syria, and Afghanistan.