US will quickly lose its small stockpile of ammunition in war with China - Biden adviser

Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, has warned that the United States could quickly run out of ammunition in the war with China.

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Sullivan appealed to the new administration of Donald Trump to support the build-up of the domestic defence industry caused by the war in Ukraine.

"God forbid we get into a full-scale war with China. But any war with a country like China, with an army like China's, will lead to a very rapid depletion of ammunition stocks," he said.

He also added that it is important that the defence industry has the ability to recover, develop, and evolve during a conflict, not just build before a conflict or prepare for it.

In addition, Sullivan called on Congress and the Trump administration to continue working on Biden's proposal to create a revolving munitions fund.

The fund, which has been proposed at $500 million a year, would allow the Pentagon to purchase critical munitions even if they run out due to wars in other countries. He acknowledged that there will be debate over the size of the defence budget in the next administration, but said it is crucial to continue efforts to strengthen the military industrial base, which has atrophied since the end of the Cold War when the United States saw no close competitor.

Sullivan also emphasised that the United States will be producing 55,000 of these rounds per month by the time the Biden administration leaves office next month, a 400 per cent increase from before, with a goal of reaching 100,000 per month by early 2026.

To clarify, the Trump team has previously made it clear that it is not enthusiastic about billions of dollars in US arms for Ukraine and has said it is pressing for a quick settlement with Russia. Trump's advisers, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, have said that US resources would be better spent on countering China.

Source: The Defence Post