Woolwich has extensive links with weaponry. Besides the Royal Artillery Barracks it was the location of the Royal Arsenal complex, which was the British Government's principal armaments manufacturing facility for over 200 years, and the Royal Military Academy which trained artillery officers and engineers from 1741 to 1939. There was also a military hospital based at Woolwich which closed in the mid 1990s. Woolwich Common is still a designated military training area although troops are not often seen nowadays. Woolwich Dockyard was one of the principal Royal Dockyards during the Tudor and Stuart periods, although it closed in the late 19th century for Royal Navy use as the Thames was by then too difficult to navigate for the naval vessels of the time.
It had been a matter of debate[who?] whether the Ministry of Defence would dispose of the barracks as surplus to requirements. The barracks has now been designated one of the MoD's "core sites". At one time it was rumoured that the only reason that the barracks was not being sold was that the members of the Royal Artillery Mess who owned their officers' mess in the building would not consent to sell, and so the MoD were forced to recognise that they could not dispose of the building in its entirety.[citation needed] Now it is planned that, now the last RA unit has moved out, the public duties line infantry battalion and incremental companies of the Foot Guards will be moved from Chelsea Barracks and Cavalry Barracks, which will be closed. Also, the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery are scheduled to move from the St John's Wood barracks to new quarters and stables on the Woolwich site during 2011, bringing a complement of 75 or thereabouts horses, historic gun carriages and artillery pieces used for their displays.
The budget for the Olympics project is £18 million. After the Olympics and Paralympics the temporary shooting hall will be reassembled elsewhere in the UK.