Post-war Survival
The Royal Ordnance Factories were part of a government department until they were privatised in 1987. Today Glascoed is operated by BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions. With the closure of other ROFs, Glascoed remains the only ammunition filling facility in the UK and exports its products, as well as supplying the British Ministry of Defence (MoD). Glascoed now employs about 400 people and is investing heavily in R&D and improved production facilities.
In recent years, Glascoed has developed an expertise with Insensitive Munitions in artillery shells and other warheads. These employ PBX compositions such as Rowanex 3601 (booster) and Rowanex 1100 (main charge) designed to minimise the risk of accidents e.g. inadvertent detonation by dropping, heat, friction or impact. One such accident occurred on the USS Forrestal in 1967.
Until the mid-1990s, in the interests of security, British Ordnance Survey maps omitted the details of all ROF sites; and showed the sites as they existed before the ROF's construction, although it was sometimes possible to identify the site boundaries. More recent editions show the detail of the buildings, internal roads, and rail links, labelled simply as "Depot" or "Works".
On the 20 August 2008 the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) announced a 15 year £2bn contract with BAE Systems to supply British forces with medium calibre and small arms ammunition.
Read more about this topic: ROF Glascoed
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