Watervliet Arsenal

Watervliet Arsenal (WVA)
Distinctive unit insignia of the U.S. Army Watervliet Arsenal featuring a silver ring around two crossed cannons with a spark above where they cross signifying the manufacturing nature of the arsenal.
ActiveJuly 14, 1813 - Present
CountryUnited States
BranchU.S. Army
TypeArsenal
RoleManufacturer of large caliber cannon, howitzer and mortar systems
Part ofU.S. Army Materiel Command, U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command
Websitehttps://www.wva.army.mil
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. Jason W. Schultz, PhD
TACOM distinctive unit insignia
TACOM distinctive unit insignia
A 16-inch M1920 coast artillery howitzer, stamped Watervliet Arsenal, 1921
Aerial view of the aersenal in 1937

The Watervliet Arsenal (WVA) /ˈwɔːtərvliːt/ is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars, and tanks. It has been a National Historic Landmark (NHL) since 1966.[1][2]

Watervliet Arsenal falls under its headquarters, the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command under the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

The arsenal was founded on July 14, 1813, to support the War of 1812. It was designated as the Watervliet Arsenal in 1817. It occupies 142 acres (57 ha) of land, approximately 8 miles (13 km) north of Albany, New York. The location is adjacent to the Hudson River. The site contains manufacturing, administrative offices and storage areas. It houses the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command Benét Laboratories, which does product development, improvement, research, and testing for all artillery related engineering.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nhlsum was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Robert W. Craig and Lauren Archibald (October 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Watervliet Arsenal" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places Inventory. National Park Service. and Accompanying 23 photos, exterior and interior, from 1984-1985, 1870, and 1875. (4.77 MiB)