The US Army has unveiled a new facility for testing its HAWK missile system to ensure America's arsenal 'remains ready for action.'
HAWK ((Homing All the Way Killer), originally deployed in 1959, is a surface-to-air guided missile that provides air defense coverage against slow-moving aerial threats like drones and bombe aircraft.
The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP) in Oklahoma announced the site last week, naming it the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility (TRMF).
TRMF will use non-destructive testing techniques, such beaming X-ray into the body to inspect internal components without having to take missiles apart.
'The TRMF already plays an essential role in ensuring the HAWK missile remains ready for action,' the US Army shared in a statement.
'Due to the new facility, as of 2025, MCAAP has inspected a total of 2,751 HAWK missiles, a monumental achievement that underscores the scale of the operation.'
MCAAP has been producing, storing and shipping ammunition for the military since the 1970s and houses close to one-third of the Department of Defense's munitions stockpile.
'In addition to servicing missiles from the US, the new facility has also received 825 missiles and other equipment donations from six countries, further demonstrating the global importance of the HAWK system in air defense,' said the US Army.
President Donald Trump warned last week that 'World War III' is 'not so far away,' but stressed his presidency will prevent it from happening.
'Around the world, I'm moving quickly to end wars, settle conflicts and restore the planet to peace - I want peace, and I don't want to see ... everybody being killed,' Trump said Wednesday while speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Institute Priority Summit.
'And take a look at the death in the Middle East, and the death that's taking place between Russia and Ukraine that's been going on, and we're going to end it.
'There's no profit for anyone in having World War III, and you're not so far away from it, I'll tell you right now, you're not so far away.'
MCAAP is the only missile testing site in the American Midwest. The other facilities are located in California, New Mexico and Hawaii.
Kendall Prather, the missile technical specialist, who works for the HAWK Project Office, said: 'Getting this TRMF established has truly been a major undertaking with many challenges.'
At the new TRMF, each HAWK missile will undergo rigorous testing to verify its functionality and performance.
This will include non-destructive testing and functional assessments that evaluate the missile's guidance systems, propulsion units, and warhead mechanisms to confirm operational readiness.
Staff will send high-energy X-rays through the missile body, allowing them to inspect internal structures and identify cracks or deformities within the weapon.
Components found to have wear or degradation are repaired or replaced, and the missile is then reassembled to meet current operational standards.
'The ability to test and repair missiles that have been inactive for over 30 years is crucial in maintaining a steady supply of ready-to-fire missiles, a task that the TRMF was built to fulfill,' the US Army shared.
MCAAP was originally commissioned as McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot on May 20, 1943. The plant was transferred to the Army on 1 October 1977 under the single manager for Conventional Ammunition and became MCAAP.
The workforce is comprised of 1400 plus employees performing mission ready related operations.
The facility is located in McAlester that is home to around 18,100 people.
On February 20, Brian Lott, MCAAP's Civilian Deputy, and Ellsworth 'Kenny' Johnson III, HAWK's Program Manager, officially cut the ribbon on the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility for the HAWK missile.
'Your work here at MCAAP is vital, as HAWK interceptors are needed more than ever, as a new generation of HAWK air defenders protect property and – more importantly – innocent lives in the 21st century,' Johnson said.
'More innocent lives will be saved, and aggressors will be deterred and ultimately defeated because of the ongoing work here in Oklahoma.'
The unveiling of TRMF came one day after the US Air Force launched a hypersonic missile test from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The scheduled exercise 'is part of the nation's ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent and is not a response to current world events,' military officials said on February 19.
The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched at 1am PT (5am ET) and soared 4,200 miles to a test range near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The mission was completed in about 22 minutes.
Acting Secretary of the Air Force Gary Ashworth said: 'Today's Minuteman III test launch is just one of the ways the Department of the Air Force demonstrates the readiness, precision, and professionalism of US nuclear forces.
'It also provides confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear deterrence mission.'
The test collected and analyzed performance and other key data points to evaluate current missile system competencies.
Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group (TEG), said: 'This allows our team to analyze and report accuracy and reliability for the current system while validating projected missile system improvements.'
America's ICBM is also capable of carrying three Mk 12A nuclear warheads, each packing up to 350,000 tons of TNT, but last week's test launched an unarmed missile.
The Air Force randomly chose a missile from F.E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming and transported more it than 1,300 miles to California where it was reassembled.
'The Western Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base serves as the primary testing ground for the Air Force Global Strike Command's ICBM deterrent architecture,' the Air Force shared in a statement.
'This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities designed to demonstrate that the United States' nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, reliable, and effective in deterring 21st-century threats and reassuring our allies.
