cdavis@insider.com (Charles R. Davis)
- The United States aims to increase production of a key artillery shell used by Ukraine.
- The hope is to manufacture 90,000 155mm rounds by 2025.
- The United States currently conducts just over 14,000 rounds per month.
US plans to dramatically increase production of key artillery shell Ukraine used to repel Russia’s large-scale invasion of the country, The New York Times reported tuesday.
Under the latest proposal, the US aims to produce up to 90,000 155mm rounds per month within two years, the Times reported, citing a US military report.
That’s more than double the goal detailed last month by Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, who told reporters the goal was to manufacture “20,000 cartridges per month” by this spring and 40,000 by 2025.
The increase comes after some US officials expressed concern that US aid to Ukraine has depleted the country’s ammunition stockpile. Last summer, a defense official told the Wall Street Journal that the country’s supply of 155mm rounds was “uncomfortably low” and “not at the level that we would like to go into combat”.
As of January 18, the United States has already pledged to supply Ukraine with at least 160 M777 howitzers and just under 1.1 million of the 155mm artillery shells it uses. But it burns them quickly.
Currently, the United States produces just over 14,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition each month. Like the Washington Post reported last monthUkrainian forces have already fired as many shots in the space of 48 hours.
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