United States to increase production of 155 mm shells to 100 thousand per month
16 September, 2023 155mm artillery shells. Photo credits: telegraph.co.uk Against the background of large-scale military assistance to Ukraine, the United States is significantly increasing the production of 155 mm artillery shells.
They aim to reach the production of 100,000 such shells per month by 2025. Dr. William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, made such an announcement, VOA reports.
According to him, the United States currently produces 28,000 rounds of ammunition for large-caliber artillery every month. "We're going to be at 100,000 per month in 2025. We were at 14,000 per month 6 or 8 months ago, we are now at 28,000 a month today," LaPlante said.
Production of 155mm artillery shells in the USA at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant.
Photo from open sources
He emphasized that previously such volumes of shells were produced in decades. The United States is also working with its allies to increase the production of defense goods at their own facilities. The need to increase the serial production of 155mm artillery shells has increased drastically amid the large-scale defense assistance to Ukraine provided by the United States and other countries.
As a result, the ammunition stockpiles of the allies for their own defense are being depleted. As of August, the United States has already delivered more than 2 million 155mm shells to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Transportation of 155-mm shells. Photo from the network
The United States is modernizing its defense industrial base and expanding production of critical munitions to produce enough weapons for its own needs and to help Ukraine, Douglas Bush, the U.S.
Army's assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, said last month.
As previously reported, the United States plans to reach a production level of 155 mm shells of more than 80 thousand per month next year.
The shortage of high-explosive incendiary was the reason for President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to receive cluster munitions from U.S. stockpiles.