The Pentagon plans to increase production of 155mm artillery shells by 500% over the next two years.
This need, according to Bloomberg, has arisen due to the fact that the United States is selling, borrowing and giving weapons to its allies around the world, experiencing a shortage of ammunition, artillery shells and other weapons , which they may need in case of war.
The publication notes that increased demand from US allies has led to a reduction in arms production in the country. For Ukraine alone, the administration of US President Joe Biden has allocated more than $44 billion for weapons and related equipment. Moreover, the White House has requested additional assistance for this country, as well as for Israel and Taiwan.
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President Joe Biden called on Congress Wednesday to increase military aid ahead of a critical vote.
Now the Army Science Board is telling Congress that the Army's defense base is seriously “deficient”, as it may not have enough supplies for the US itself.
— The Pentagon says they must plan for and be prepared for all contingencies. There are concerns that adversaries are watching and could take advantage of opportunities provided by U.S. weaknesses or equipment shortages, — said Bloomberg News reporter Courtney McBride.
As government officials and investors contemplate the world sliding into a new era of great power conflict, the United States faces challenges in adjusting its manufacturing base.
For example, there is only one plant in the United States that can produce the black powder needed for the most widely used Ukrainian artillery shells.
The issue of 155-millimeter artillery shells, which Ukrainian troops use 8 thousand rounds per day, remains noteworthy. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States produced about 15 thousand shells per month. According to Bloomberg, the US Department of Defense hopes to increase production by 500% in the next two years, with the cost of this currently estimated at $1.5 billion.
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John Ferrari, a retired U.S. major general with 32 years of service in the U.S. military, told Bloomberg that failure to act on what he calls insufficient U.S. war preparedness could lead to to serious consequences. Ferrari served in the Army Materiel Command — group that makes sure there is enough ammunition.
— The only thing more expensive than preparing for war is — this is waging war, and the only thing more valuable than waging war is — this is losing the war, — he said.
Military assistance and ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Note that according to the Kiel Institute of World Economics, in the period from August to October 2023, the volume of new assistance to Ukraine reached a minimum and the cost of new support packages amounted to only €2.11 billion, which is 87% less than compared to the same period in 2022.
Before this, the head of the German Ministry of Defense said that the capabilities of the German defense industry, which, among other things, work for the needs of Ukraine, are gaining momentum. However, this takes time.
In parallel, the Finnish Minister of Defense announced that in the next few weeks his country will decide to increase the production of artillery ammunition.
It is noteworthy that according to Reuters, EU countries transferred to Ukraine only 480 thousand artillery shells out of 1 million, which they promised to transfer by the spring of 2024.
