Posted on 07/02/2025 1:05:29 AM PDT by Reverend Wright
The US Army is considering scrapping General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) management of three new 155mm artillery round production lines in Mesquite, Texas, according to a “show cause” letter obtained by Breaking Defense.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the heavy use of artillery, the Army rushed to bolster 155mm production and produce 100,000 shells per month. As part of that broader push, it opened a new government-owned facility in Texas, tapping GD-OTS to operate it and stand up three Universal Artillery Projectile Lines (UAPL) to produce the metal parts for artillery projectiles, including the shell casings.
That work, though, has not gone smoothly, and the service is now “considering terminating” the GD deals for all three UPLA lines, according to a June 13 letter from Army Contracting Command (ACC) to the company.
(Excerpt) Read more at breakingdefense.com ...
Something as basic as steel shells for artillery is now apparently beyond their capability.
The chicoms will be filing this and smiling...
Thank God President Trump is bringing manufacturing back to the states.
We need to sharpen our skills.
Well, China already knew there was problems.
The production equipment in the Texas fatory came from Turkey (Repkon)
Because the US vendors couldn’t supply in a reasonable timeline.
Yes. Many decades overdue.
At the end of the Cold War the USA could produce 450K+ shells per month.
But that was scrapped and now they can’t do a tenth of that.
(p 5)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/nsiad-95-89.pdf
“At the end of the Cold War the USA could produce 450K+ shells per month.”
Clinton had the assembly lines disassembled, and sold to China as scrap metal. They set them back up in China.
It’s not treason, if the President does it.
IIRC, Line 1 was supposed to be producing 2,500 155mm artillery shell parts per month, by June 15th. Or at least, that was the story 1 year ago.
Dec. 1, 2024 EXCERPT:
Repkon, based in Istanbul, has in recent weeks taken significant steps worldwide to help address the shortage of artillery ammunition. Repkon gained considerable media attention in October when reports emerged about its plans to build a new production facility in Mesquite, Texas, USA, under an agreement with the US Department of Defense (DoD).
According to available information, the facility will be capable of producing approximately 30,000 155 mm shells per month, significantly boosting the production of this type of ammunition in the US. However, this is not the end of Repkon’s efforts in the field of artillery ammunition.
In early November, US arms authorities awarded Repkon – USA Defense LLC, which represents the Istanbul-based company in the US, a contract to build a new TNT production plant in Kentucky. According to US military officials, this project is critical for the further development of artillery ammunition production in the US, as well as for strengthening national security.
The value of this contract is $435 million, and DoD officials describe it as a significant step forward in TNT production over the past several decades.
We better get to work.😉
But:
General Dynamics Information Technology - Glassdoor General Dynamics Information Technology has a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 1,819 anonymous employee ratings. - https://www.glassdoor.com/Culture/General-Dynamics-Information-Technology-DEI-E18661.htm
Aerospace firms make LGBT inclusion a priority - AZ Big Media Strong performers in this sector also include BAE Systems Inc. of Arlington, Va.; General Dynamics Corp. of Falls Church, Va.; - https://azbigmedia.com/business/workforce/aerospace-firms-make-lgbt-inclusion-a-priority/
They were either sold for scrap or cut up and sent to China despite the fact that they were designed from the git go to put into ready production moth balls. The contracts officers said the Clintons wanted ton destroy our military industrialmcpabiliry ans salt the fields so they could never be re constituted.
When you offshore your industrial base you no longer have a large pool of talented foundries, engineers, tool and dye makers, machinists, factory workers - or rather robotics experts, with which to quickly gear up production.
You don't even have the civil engineers and manpower to design and erect the structure to house the production.
And you can't hire a gender studies grad, community organizer, or Starbucks barista to do it.
I dont think they are a simple as they used to be.
Did not know this. The Clintons are exceedingly wicked.
As I remember reading, in WWI, the British made about 170 million artillery shells.
There had better be a trail of DOD personnel chasing after GD for this screw-up or they need to be sacked as well.
DOD should also claw back any funding already disbursed for failure to perform.
He told me much of the top engineering talent was also walking away.
Unless you're talking about guided munitions, they haven't changed much since WWI. Maybe the fuses are more sophisticated. But the basic shells are the same.
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