This is twice as much as when the United States produced 14 thousand shells per month at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The United States plans to achieve the goal of producing 155-mm artillery shells at the rate of 100 thousand pieces per month. Bloomberg reported this.
It is noted that this is twice as much as when the United States produced 14 thousand shells per month at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Delivery of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine Javelin and anti-aircraft missiles Stinger, as well as howitzers and ammunition, American supplies ran out, showing US instability. This prompted the Pentagon, with support from Congress, to invest billions of dollars in expanding US industrial capacity.
Three-quarters, or $2.5 billion, of the $3.4 billion industry expansion contract will go toward increasing production of 155mm artillery shells, according to US Army acquisition chief Douglas Bush.
He added that the US could increase production from 28,000 per month to 36,000, and then from 48,000 to 57,000 shells per month.
Bush said the industry should reach production of 80,000 rounds per month by early 2025, and then reach the 100,000 goal by the end of that year.
The Army’s first step is to expand existing government-owned and contractor-operated metal casing manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania. Plants have increased the number of shifts and added new machines, Busch said.
The second step is the opening of new plants: one of them is IMT Defense in Canada for the production of metal parts, which should start operating next year.
In a third step, the Pentagon plans to significantly increase US production capacity of IMX (short for insensitive explosive munitions), which is considered a safer option for troops to handle and store than TNT.
We remind you that the United States has announced that NATO is increasing the production of ammunition.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO has 2.4 billion euros worth of ammunition contracts covering 155mm artillery, anti-tank guided missiles and main battle tank ammunition.
Source: korrespondent
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