Radford Army Ammunition Plant

Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP) is a government-owned, contractor-operated military installation supplying solvent and solventless propellant and explosives to the Armed Forces. Construction of the current RAAP production facility began in 1940. RAAP initially consisted of two areas; (1) a smokeless powder plant [Radford Ordnance Works (ROW)] located on current RAAP property, and (2) a loading plant for artillery, cannon, and mortar projectiles [New River Ordnance Works (NROW)]. Each operated separately through 1950, when RAAP assumed ownership of NROW. RAAP is located in the mountains of southwest Virginia in Pulaski and Montgomery Counties in what is known as the New River Valley.