Army activates new command for ammunition and energetics production

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - The U.S. Army has established the Capability Program Executive for Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E) at Picatinny Arsenal, under the command of Col. Jason Bohannon. The new CPE was formerly the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A). The move is a key part of broader Continuous Transformation efforts intended to increase efficiency and accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities to the warfighter.

The new organization was activated at a ceremony held on February 12 at Picatinny Arsenal where team members and enabling partners were introduced to the new command. The Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammunition (PAE AS&A), Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, presided over the ceremony and spoke about the new organization's significance in the Army's Acquisition reform initiative.

"The team of the new CPE Ammo and Energetics has been entrusted to modernize the munitions industrial base, deliver advanced armaments and ammunition at scale, strengthen supply chain resilience, accelerate capability from concept to production, and ensure sustainment is agile, data-driven and ready for the next fight," said Reim to the assembled audience.

"You are rebuilding an industrial base that will serve future generations of Soldiers we will never meet. That is our charge, that is our responsibility, and it's our distinct privilege to write the next chapter in the history of Army lethality. I have no doubt you will meet this challenge with the spirit, innovation, and dedication that has always been the hallmark of Team Picatinny."

During its decades of existence as the JPEO A&A, the organization consistently delivered innovative acquisition solutions to provide Joint Warfighters and allied partners with overmatch capabilities. The new CPE A&E will retain the internal structure of the JPEO A&A, consisting of four project offices: Combat Ammunition Systems, Close Combat Systems, Maneuver Ammunition Systems and Joint Services. As the CPE A&E, it retains responsibility for life-cycle management, which includes integrating budgets, acquisition strategies, research and development, production, and fielding across all ammunition families.

In his first address as the Capability Program Executive, Col. Bohannon spoke to the legacy of JPEO A&A and the mission of CPE A&E.

"We've been given a tremendous foundation for success as we chart new territory and break new ground that will strengthen the Arsenal of Freedom. We've been given a directive from the administration and the Secretary of War. Although our mission isn't changing, we will change the way we do business. We will deliver 30 percent faster," Bohannon said.

"We're going to do it by identifying risks while still applying the rigorous rules that are required for the safety of our Soldiers, joint warfighters, and allied partners. We're going to find that balance and get it done right. When you get ammunition wrong, the lives of our Soldiers are at stake."

After the ceremony's conclusion, surrounded by numerous CPE A&E product displays, Bohannon stated, "When our Nation needs to express the will of the American people upon our adversaries, call on Picatinny Arsenal!"