Ukraine War Is Depleting U.S. Ammunition Stockpiles, Sparking Pentagon Concern

Wall Street Journal ^ | 09/09/2022 | By Gordon Lubold, Nancy A. Youssef and Ben Kesling

[SeekAndFind]

WASHINGTON—The war in Ukraine has depleted American stocks of some types of ammunition and the Pentagon has been slow to replenish its arsenal, sparking concerns among U.S. officials that American military readiness could be jeopardized by the shortage.

The U.S. has during the past six months supplied Ukraine with 16 U.S. rocket launchers, known as Himars, thousands of guns, drones, missiles and other equipment. Much of that, including ammunition, has come directly from U.S. inventory, depleting stockpiles intended for unexpected threats, defense officials say.

One of the most lethal weapons the Pentagon has sent are howitzers that fire high-explosive 155mm ammunition weighing about 100 pounds each and able to accurately hit targets dozens of miles away. As of Aug. 24, the U.S. military said it had provided Ukraine with up to 806,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition. The U.S. military has declined to say how many rounds it had at the start of the year.

In recent weeks, the level of 155mm combat rounds in U.S. military storage have become “uncomfortably low,” one defense official said. The levels aren’t yet critical because the U.S. isn’t engaged in any major military conflict, the official added. “It is not at the level we would like to go into combat,” the defense official said.

The U.S. military used a howitzer as recently as last week to strike at Iranian-backed groups in Syria, and the depletion of 155mm ammunition is increasingly concerning for a military that seeks to plan for any scenario.

The Army said the military is now conducting “an ammunitions industrial base deep dive” to determine how to support Ukraine while protecting “our own supply needs.” The Army said it also asked Capitol Hill for $500 million a year in upgrade efforts for the Army’s ammunition plants.

[Allegra]

They almost always have some type of personal connection to the situation there (money, family, live near there, etc.), so they’ll lie just as the Western Media does about the causes of the war and the history there.

Yes, I’ve noticed the “ESL” aspect of some of the more prolific posters’ syntax, among other things.

I wouldn’t even mind so much as I can respect another opinion if it’s presented thoughtfully and intelligently.

But these people spam the forum with a very high volume of threads every day and then post repeatedly to their threads to keep them clogging the forum. And they’re nasty and vicious, slinging random insults and outright lies. They’re rude and in your face, just like Obama has instructed his followers to be.

A lot of us are tired of their relentless pollution of this site with all of that propaganda.

[Gunslingr3]

You ducked the questions, Bob.

How does watching these Ukrainians welcoming the troops of the counteroffensive near Kharkiv make you feel?

Do you think these people want to be in Russia?

[BobL]

I expect the Ukrainians to ‘purify’ the cities they take. So not good for the elderly Russians there.

[dforest]

Nobody wins, everyone loses.

[ansel12]

If Ukraine survives this then it may emerge as a new nation, unified, strong, and modern, with a bright future and a great international reputation, and proud national identity.

The West could gain a powerful ally and brother nation, and the world would gain a humbled, weaker Russia that will have to face reality and join the ranks of civilized nations or keep slipping backward until China carves them up and Russia continues slipping down the ranks of decay.

NATO countries will be getting newer, fresher weapons, Poland is emerging as a major power and more decent counter to Germany, the international left is losing ground on its anti-energy agenda and Europe is permanently moving away from Russia’s energy.

A lot of good can come from a victorious Ukraine, and especially for Ukraine.

This war could lead to a true break from the old Cold war and and the old Ukraine, and its old ties and baggage.

[ETCM]

This post/thread is about US equipment. The M113’s provided are APCs, not not IFVs like the Bradley M2. HUGE difference. The NASAMS are not going to be delivered until 2024. None of the drones are what I would consider advanced, the closest being the ScanEagle. They are mostly decades old surveillance drones and small loitering munitions. We considered giving them MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones, but decided against it due to sensitive technology.