The US has increased production of artillery shells tenfold since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States has gradually begun to increase production of 155mm artillery ammunition.

Here's What We Know

In February 2023, the Pentagon signed contracts with two companies - Northrop Grumman Systems and Global Military Products - totalling $522 million for the production of ammunition. This was directly related to the very high use of artillery shells at the front.

For example, according to some estimates, the Russians were firing about 20,000 shells a day. By comparison, the Ukrainian capacity was usually below 10,000, and often around 5,000 per day.

Both the EU and the US have decided to significantly increase production capacity. The Czech ammunition initiative has also proved to be important. Kyiv is expected to receive a total of almost half a million shells by the end of this year. The US itself says it will probably be able to produce more than 100,000 a month by the middle of next year.

"Congressional funding has allowed us to increase production of 155mm artillery shells to about 9,000 per month at the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Production will reach about 80,000 per month this autumn, and we will exceed 100,000 per month by next summer," said Assistant Secretary of Defence Douglas R. Bush.

Although these scales still look modest compared to Russian production, it is already clear what trend the US and the EU are following.

Source: Defence 24