US Army awards $1.5B to boost global production of artillery rounds - October 26, 2023
EXCERPT:
U.S. Army said it awarded contracts to nine companies in the U.S., Canada, India, and Poland to boost global production of 155mm artillery rounds . . . the service finalized a flurry of contracts that “resourced each major component, material or required production process to maintain momentum for the goal of 80,000 projectiles per month by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.”
Ukraine to make shells with US firms as it seeks to develop defence sector - December 7, 2023
EXCERPT:
Dec 7 (Reuters) - Kyiv has agreed with two American firms to jointly manufacture vital 155mm artillery shells in Ukraine . . .
"We have agreements with two leading American companies to jointly produce, in Ukraine, 155-calibre ammunition," Oleksandr Kamyshin, minister for strategic industries, said in televised comments.
But he noted that Ukraine had never produced such shells and it would be "a minimum of two years, a maximum of three" before production could begin.
Mesquite 635 Industrial Park [just 12 minutes from downtown Dallas at the crossroads of Interstate 635 and U.S. 80]:
DMN: General Dynamics Selects Mesquite Industrial Park for New Artillery Casings Plant - April 25, 2023
EXCERPT:
“The manufacturing facility will effectively produce 20,000 units per month” of artillery casings only.
Mesquite [City Council] approves new General Dynamics plant to make artillery casings - May 10, 2023
Note: The Mesquite artillery shell casing manufacturing plant is expected to open in June, 2024; but some of the funding might be hung up in the Congress. And another maybe: that same funding pool includes funds for the Lima, Ohio heavy armor tank plant.
YouTube - 2 videos re 155mm status
Inside the US Factory Making Ukraine’s Most Important Ammo - August 6, 2023
Why the 155mm Shell Is One of the World’s Most Wanted Objects Now - January 24, 2024
“Note: The Mesquite artillery shell casing manufacturing plant is expected to open in June, 2024; “
In what delusional world will this open by June?
The latest is end of 2025 and I think that is very questionable.
Rheinmetal wins major artillery ammunition order for Ukraine worth over €140 milion
EXCERPTS:
Rheinmetall has won a large-volume order for supporting Ukraine with artillery ammunition. . . . The order encompasses tens of thousands of complete 155mm artillery shells.
The customer is a NATO partner nation whose declared intention is to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle with effective long-term military aid.
The shells will be produced by Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, the Group’s newly acquired Spanish subsidiary. The current contract highlights Rheinmetall’s role as the world’s largest producer of ammunition, especially in the large calibre domain.
The ammunition will be delivered in 2025. Production and delivery of around 40,000 rounds for Ukraine from an earlier order is already due to take place in 2024.
Demand for artillery ammunition is currently very high, due not just to Ukraine’s requirements but also the need to replenish the largely empty ammunition depots of Germany and other NATO and EU countries.
Rheinmetall plans a massive increase in ammunition production capacity in 2024 at its plants in Germany, Spain, South Africa and Australia, bringing annual output capacity to around 700,000 artillery rounds.
France ramps up weapons production for Ukraine and says Russia is scrutinizing the West’s mettle [January 18, 2024]
EXCERPT:
[French defense minister, Sébastien Lecornu] said increased supplies of shells for Ukraine are on their way. From this month, France will supply 3,000 shells for 155 mm guns per month, up from 1,000 shells per month at the start of the war and 2,000 per month since last April.