Submitted Story By Scott Jenkins Supervisory General Engineer Navy Munitions Command Atlantic
Yorktown, Va. (March 10, 2026) Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Yorktown is undertaking a comprehensive, decade-long modernization of its ordnance storage infrastructure to support the Navy Munitions Command Atlantic’s (NMCLANT) mission to manage the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet ordnance. The upgrade is critical as aging infrastructure has hampered the station's capabilities.
Established on August 7, 1918, as the U.S. Navy Mine Depot, NWS Yorktown holds a significant place in U.S. naval history and continues to be of vital strategic importance. It serves as the Navy’s primary East Coast ordnance and ammunition storage center and is the main ordnance load-out point for combatants and submarines. With its protected deep-water access and expansive land area, the station's location on the York River provides a critical "explosive corridor" to the Atlantic, making it an essential hub for the warfighting capability of the Armed Forces.
“Yorktown is where our Nation’s independence was won and continues to play a vital role in the safety, security, and defense of our country today,” said Captain Dan Patrick, NWS Yorktown's Commanding Officer.
Despite its ideal location, nearly 70 percent of the 200 magazines at the station were constructed before 1960. Many of these small, igloo-type magazines, with an average age of 85 years, suffer from significant capacity, configuration, and condition issues. These problems negatively impact the station's ability to safely and efficiently meet its mission of supporting the Atlantic Fleet.
“These new magazines, with wider doors and large handling areas, will significantly improve operational efficiency and safety for our workforce," said Dave Reeves, NMCLANT Detachment Yorktown Operations Manager.
The extensive military construction project involves replacing the antiquated facilities with 32 state-of-the-art, earth-covered "7-bar" magazines. This designation signifies a high level of blast resistance, allowing the new magazines to be placed closer together and improving land use efficiency. Constructed from reinforced concrete, these magazines also incorporate advanced safety features like lightning protection and specialized ventilation to ensure the thermal stability and security of the munitions within. The mandatory two-foot-thick earth covering provides thermal insulation and a crucial barrier against blast waves and fragments.
“The primary purpose of an Earth-Covered Magazine (ECM) is not to contain an internal explosion but to shield its contents from a blast in an adjacent magazine, preventing a catastrophic chain reaction," said Scott Jenkins, NMCLANT Facilities Engineer.
The initiative is structured across seven distinct phases. The project requires the demolition of more than 40 antiquated ECMs, some dating back to the station's establishment in 1918. The first phase, which included ten new magazines, is complete, while the second phase to deliver an additional five units is nearing completion.
This recapitalization effort will provide NMCLANT with adequate, secure facilities to properly store the Atlantic Fleet’s new modern weapons, aligning with the specific configuration and physical security requirements for current and future weapons programs currently in development.
“This investment in new modern magazines ensures NMCLANT can provide safe, effective, and efficient Fleet Ordnance Support at NWS Yorktown for decades to come,” added NMCLANT Commander Captain Steve Folsom.