The Ukrainian armed forces consume large amounts of artillery ammunition in the fight against the Russian invaders. But the supply depots are emptying. The US military now wants to massively increase the production of bullets.
The US Army wants to increase the production of artillery shells, which are used in large quantities by Ukraine, with a defense contract worth almost $1 billion. The armaments company General Dynamics Ordnance
Only on Tuesday did the US government award a $522 million armaments contract to two companies that are to use the money to produce artillery ammunition for the Ukrainian army. It went to the two companies Northrop Grumman Systems and Global Military Products. The US Army announced that the first ammunition from this order should be delivered as early as next month.
Both sides are using vast amounts of artillery ammunition in the fighting in Ukraine. Last November, a US official estimated that Russian troops are firing around 20,000 rounds a day. The Ukrainian army fires 4,000 to 7,000 rounds a day – more than the western allies can deliver. Since then, according to experts, the frequency has dropped due to the winter and a lack of supplies on both sides.
Only on Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “The current frequency of ammunition consumption in Ukraine is many times higher than our current production rate.”
