Taiwan ships 1 billion bullets to United States: report

AFP ^ | 06 Nov 2007 | AFP

[BGHater]

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan has shipped one billion rifle bullets to the United States for NT$560 million in a rare arms sale to the United States, it was reported yesterday.

The 5.56 mm bullets are mainly used to replenish supplies which have run low after wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Taipei-based China Times reported, citing a military source.

Taiwan's defence ministry last year beat off competition from the likes of Singapore and South Korea to win the five-year contract from a U.S. military subcontractor, it was reported.

In a separate deal, the China Times said the Taiwanese Army plans to purchase 60 UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopters from Washington for NT$71.7 billion.

The US is the leading arms supplier to Taiwan -- something China objects to -- with Beijing regarding the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Taiwan has been seeking more advanced weaponry amid China's repeated threats to invade.

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian last week accused China of provoking the island by targeting it with nearly 1,000 missiles.

Tensions between Taipei and Beijing escalated since the independence leaning leader was elected president in 2000. He was narrowly re-elected in 2004.

[Pistolshot]

There are a number of different types of construction for bullets. Most of the commercial ammo is basically lead with a copper jacket. Some defensive ammo uses a different alloy, such as soft aluminum(Silvertips) to aid expansion. None of the civilian ammo is for military use.

Military ammo must meet the Geneva Conventions on construction.

Full metal jacket.

Non-expanding.

This was in response to the use of 'dum-dum' bullets in parts of India and Africa by the Europeans. These were nothing more than large caliber, soft lead projectiles, which expand rapidly and caused horrible wounds.

Now, there are ways to enhance the bullet for the military and still meet the Geneva Convention. Some use a steel core to help penetration through armor and masonry. There is also a 'floating' core of dense materials (tungsten, depleted uranium) in a softer medium so the core goes further into the target.

The 62-gr bullet in the SS109 has a small steel penetrator, while the 55-grain bullet in the M855(most common issue) is mostly copper jacket with a small amount of lead.

The materials will probably go to Winchester, which has the military contract for 5.56 and 7.62 ammo.

[angkor]

“I was told at the shop I work at on weekends that ammo prices are going up 20% by December and another 20% in February.”

Any word on why?

[Petronski]

They’re real good for punching through cheap body armor, engine blocks, or bone.

Note to self: stay on CJ's good side.

[Magnum44]

I am trying to understand your point...are you taking argument with the purchase because of this Berry thing which I profess sounds like some political thing I dont really have any knowledge of...or were you asking if bullets generally have steel in them?

I was simply responding to the simpler question.

[Pistolshot]

Material shortages. Copper is in demand, lead, tin, brass are all going up in prices.

The war has really depleted 308 ammo, there is almost none available, and what there is is outrageously priced.

[Magnum44]

It is also almost impossible to find lead bullets for reloading these days. The rumor is that lead and brass are being bought up by China.

[purpleraine]

Has anyone read an analysis of how we would supply ourselves if we got into a major war?

[MD_Willington_1976]

glad I run a .223 Kalashnikov... it eats Barnaul & Wolf like a fat kid with a bag of jelly beans...

[angkor]

Thanks, that confirms my thinking on it.

I put my entire 401K into commodities and raw materials stocks last year.

[MD_Willington_1976]

LOL, yeah, we’d head to Walmart, and then confiscate private ammo collections...

[LZ_Bayonet]

"Military ammo must meet the Geneva Conventions on construction."

And what are the Geneva Convention construction requirements for IED's?

[Eye of Unk]

I believe its time to think way over this and basically rethink what we really need in the future. Future handheld lightweight arms should not have to rely upon chemical components to achieve pressures designed to accelerate sometimes limited amounts of materials such as copper, lead and steel,tungsten,DU etc. Increased battle loads per weight the main criteria that evolved modern days ammunition from .78 minnie ball, 45-70, 30-40 Krag. 300-06 Springfield, .308 Nato and current 5.56 Nato and other calibers in same size class, smaller cartridges relate to more rounds available for the soldier. What we need is caseless rounds of common materials such as aluminum, glass or ceramics boosted to hypervelocity speeds, portable railguns come to mind such as used in Hollywood movies like The Eraser Or the development of close quarter armaments using pressure waves such as in the futuristic movie Minority Report. 1 billion rounds in a heavy conflict such as like mass warfare seen in WW2 would be shot out in a few days especially with the use of modern rotary cannons. The days of the "bullet" are numbered.

[Pistolshot]

I did with some of it. I went into a lot of $25 a barrel oil when it hit a few years back. Haven’t regretted that move.

[Pistolshot]

I know this was a snide comment, so my acknowledging it as such is just for that reason.

IED's are a terrorist weapon. There are no rules for them.

[BOBTHENAILER]

That would require a degree of accuracy and percentage of effectiveness of fire that is probably not attainable. However, I’m all for the whole lot being expended into the Islamofacist masses.

[BOBTHENAILER]

I propose a much larger caliber.

Large or small, bring 'em all.

[Last Dakotan]

Sad, we can not even make our own bullets anymore.

We interviewed a guy last week who just left a domestic ammo plant because he had to work 7 days a week for the past 8 months.

They can't increase production capacity because the US firms that made the machinery 50 years ago are no longer in business.

[Calpernia]

What is political about MIL SPECS? What are you asking?

[wideminded]

There was an article several weeks ago that said there is a bullet shortage because we are expending a billion bullets a year in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sounds like a lot but it’s only about 20 bullets per soldier per day.

[nonsporting]

At today's exchange range $1US = NT$32.38, this deal works out to approximately $1.73 per 100 bullets.

That's less than 1/10th what I would pay for 62grFMJ/BT equivalent, if available.