The United States have significantly boosted domestic production of many different types of munitions to meet demands from Ukraine. Congressional funding allowed the country to boost production of 155-millimeter artillery shells to about 9,000 per month at the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022.
As reported by the Defense Acquisition University, which conducted an interview in May 2024 with Douglas R. Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology and the Army Acquisition Executive, production will reach close to 80,000 per month this fall, and will exceed 100,000 a month by next summer.
Bush said that the US is in the midst of a defense modernization process, which among other things is aimed at strengthening allies abroad such as Ukraine and Israel. Furthermore, the US military is preparing for potential conflicts in the Pacific.
”Not only are we doing the hard work of keeping the army supplied and ready, we are also enabling an aggressive effort to modernize. At the same time, we are supporting conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East while preparing for potential conflict in the Pacific with China,” Bush said.
With regards to Ukraine, Bush noted that the US has increased production for military aid to Ukraine, and is exceeding previously set goals. ”For example, we have significantly boosted domestic production of many different types of munitions to meet demands from Ukraine. Congressional funding allowed us to boost production of 155 mm artillery shells to about 9,000 per month at the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022,” Bush said.
”Production will reach close to 80,000 per month this fall, and we will exceed 100,000 a month by next summer,” the assistant secretary said.
The interview was taken in May of this year, therefore the current status of the exact number of artillery shells produced by the US is unknown.
Artillery versus artillery
Nonetheless, Defense Express has explored the possible effects of US increased production of artillery shells for Ukraine. The defense news outlet notes that, according to these figures and taking into account the gradual increase in production volumes, the US should be producing about 70,000 to 75,000 artillery rounds in the 155-millimeter caliber per month as of the end of this summer.
This growth is significant in several ways but the most important part is how it can impact the ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine through military aid allocations. Especially as Ukraine faces a significant shortage of 155mm ammunition, which is crucial for Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces.
These shells are the standard NATO artillery caliber used in various howitzers supplied to Ukraine by Western allies. They provide Ukraine with long-range fire capability, allowing its forces to strike Russian targets from a distance and counter Russian artillery.
Defense Express analyzed that in February–March of 2022, the rate of manufacture was 9,000 155mm rounds a month, increasing to 14,000 by the end of the year and doubling to 28,000 by September 2023.
The outlet then compares this development to the previous set goal: in December 2022, Bush was expecting to hit 40,000 shells made monthly in the long run, by 2025. A year and a half later, the numbers doubled again, and reaching 100,000 by summer 2025 sounds realistic.
However, Defense Express notes that even with such progress, the industry is still running behind the actual demand. The Russo-Ukrainian War shows that active warfare requires Ukrainian forces to fire 15,000 artillery rounds a day, as disclosed on 20 August by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, although he did not specify the caliber(s) of ammunition referenced.
”That makes a monthly consumption of 450,000 shells by the Ukrainian side, most likely comprising all types of artillery, including 155mm, 152mm, 122mm, 105mm, and mortar shells. Meanwhile, Russian forces spend even greater quantities, generally three times as much, reaching 44,500 rounds a day or roughly 1.3 million a month,” the outlet states.
Of course, it should be noted that Ukraine not only depends on US delivery of military aid. European countries too have been modernizing and stepping up production on ammunition.
However, an investigation by RFE/RL’s Skhemy project and a consortium of European journalists has revealed that the European Union’s artillery shell production capacity is significantly lower than officially claimed, impacting Ukraine’s defense capabilities against Russian aggression.
As of June 2024, the EU had provided Ukraine with only half of the promised ammunition, and with significant delays.
Related:
- AP: US plant increases production of 155mm ammunition for Ukraine
- Germany delivers new military aid package to Ukraine, which includes IRIS-T air defense system, ammunition, drones
- Ukraine equips drones with guided ammunition
- Czech Republic to launch second initiative to supply Ukraine with ammunition
- EU’s artillery shell promises to Ukraine fall short of reality, investigation finds
