Army to Dramatically Increase Munition Production With Ammo Stocks at Dangerously Low Levels

With thousands of 155mm U.S. and NATO projectiles being gobbled up every day in Ukraine, the U.S. Army is seeking to triple its production of artillery shells and precision-guided munitions, which defense officials admit are at shockingly low levels.

The announcement follows a frank assessment by Doug Bush, the assistant secretary of the Army’s acquisition, logistics and technology. Bush conceded that the most powerful military in the history of the world faces a critical shortage. One that demands swift resolution if it’s to be ready for war with near-peer competitors like Russia or especially China.

Even before Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Armed Forces faced the prospect of a shortage of the things that go boom. After giving close to one million shells and large numbers of other critical munitions, like precision-guided rockets, stockpiles don’t simply need to be replenished. Production must increase exponentially, which requires increased funding from Congress.

The urgency of this problem may only become more pronounced the longer the war in Ukraine lasts, as Bush recently told reporters, though he expressed cautious optimism.

Per Task & Purpose:

“Production rates do need to increase and are increasing,” Bush said. “I don’t know how long the conflict is going to last. We are doing things, though, to ensure that if it goes on for a long time, we’re going to be in a place to support it, based on the best information that we have. War is an uncertain enterprise.”

Tube and rocket artillery have proven to be some of the most important weapons in Ukraine’s arsenal. The howitzers and HIMARS provided by the United States and other allies have allowed the Ukrainians to stop the Russians’ advance and strike targets well behind the front lines. The fighting has become so intense that Oleksandr V. Danylyuk, an adviser to the Ukrainian government, told the Washington Post in June that Ukrainian forces were firing between 5,000 and 6,000 artillery rounds per day. He also said the Russians were firing up to 50,000 rounds per day.

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Bush told reporters on Wednesday that the production rates for 155mm shells are meeting the Defense Department’s current needs for both combat and training.

While he said he is “not uncomfortable” with the current size of the Army’s inventory of 155mm shells, Bush declined to say how many artillery shells the Army has at the moment.

He also declined to say if the Army would have enough munitions if it got involved in a major war in the near future.

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