20 Aug, 2023 16:40
Pentagon facing ammunition crisis – WaPo
A shortage of raw materials has left the US scrambling to restock its arsenal as the Ukraine conflict drags on
Ukrainian soldier prepares shells for artillery in Donetsk © Getty Images / Diego Herrera Carcedo
The US Department of Defense is having trouble keeping up with the demands of the Ukraine conflict, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, warning that failure to sustain current production levels could jeopardize security on the home front.
US military contractors are soon expected to double the rate of standard NATO artillery round production recorded prior to the current phase of the conflict. However, even churning out 28,000 shells per month is insufficient to satisfy what the outlet called “Ukraine’s astonishing hunger for artillery ammunition,” let alone shore up depleted reserves at home.
A shortage of raw materials – particularly the explosive TNT, which the US no longer produces – has hampered the Pentagon’s efforts to restock its own arsenal, which has been severely depleted by its support for Ukraine. Washington currently obtains much of its TNT from Poland but has been searching for new suppliers, including in Japan, after losing production partner Zarya when the region where the factory was located voted to become part of Russia in last year’s referendum.
https://www.rt.com/news/581547-pentagon-struggles-ammunition-ukraine-materials/
