US opens new plant to increase production of 155mm artillery shells

The US Army, together with General Dynamics, has opened a state-of-the-art plant in Arkansas to increase the production of artillery ammunition and strengthen the defence industrial base.

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A new artillery ammunition loading, assembly and packaging (LAP) facility has begun operations in Camden, Arkansas. It is part of the US Army's strategy to increase production of 155mm high explosive rounds, which have seen a significant increase in demand in recent years.

According to Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, the opening of the LAP plant is part of a broader initiative to modernise defence production. He stressed that the ability to win on the battlefield begins with reliable and powerful production facilities. The Camden plant is already equipped with two state-of-the-art production lines and will be able to produce up to 50,000 rounds per month when fully operational.

The army's overall goal is to reach 100,000 155mm rounds per month across all production sites. This is almost four times more than in 2022.

Federal, state, and local governments participated in the project. According to senior Army official Pat Mason, the partnership between all parties made it possible to quickly build and launch the plant.

Source: Defence Industry Europe