ROF Radway Green

The Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF), Radway Green manufactures small arms ammunition for the British armed forces. Located just outside the Cheshire town of Alsager in the UK, it has existed since 1940 and has produced a wide range of ammunition including the following calibres:

* .38 S&W - [production ended in 1960s]
* .303 British - (ball, tracer, incendiary) - [production ended in 1973]
* .280 British - (small amounts for developmental purposes in 1950s) - [production ended circa 1956]
* 9mm NATO - (standard FMJ, starting in the Second World War and still in production)
* 5.56x45 mm - (standard FMJ, tracer and blank ammunition)
* 7.62x51 mm - (standard FMJ and tracer ammunition)
* 4.6x30mm for the Heckler & Koch MP7

All ammunition currently produced at Radway Green is NATO certified i.e. bears the NATO roundel as part of the headstamp on the cartridge case surrounding the primer. Additionally, headstamps bear the ammunition type ID, the initials "RG" plus the year of production e.g. "L18A1 RG 07" for 5.56x45mm blank cartridges manufactured at Radway Green in 2007. Headstamps on cartridges manufactured during the Second World War and in pre-NATO years bear the the initials "RG", the year of production and the "broad arrow" to signify MOD property.

The ordnance factory has its own firing range, where batches of ammunition are periodically test fired from a variety of weapons to check for proper function and performance within contract requirements i.e. reliability, consistency and accuracy, etc.

A private, dedicated spur leads off the main railway line to facilitate transfer of both ammunition components and the final product.

The ROF at Radway Green is part of UK defence contractor BAE SYSTEMS.

On the 20 August 2008 the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) announced a £2bn contract with BAE Systems to supply British forces with small arms and medium calibre ammunition [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7573160.stm] .

References