{"id":66098,"date":"2023-11-08T15:14:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T15:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/11\/08\/us-army-eyes-31-billion-ammo-production-boost-in-new-spending-ask\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:56:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:56:59","slug":"us-army-eyes-31-billion-ammo-production-boost-in-new-spending-ask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2023\/11\/08\/us-army-eyes-31-billion-ammo-production-boost-in-new-spending-ask\/","title":{"rendered":"US Army eyes $3.1 billion ammo production boost in new spending ask"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Army plans to spend $3.1 billion in emergency fiscal 2024 supplemental funding to boost domestic 155mm artillery munition production<\/a> if lawmakers approve the pending White House request, the service\u2019s acquisition chief<\/a> said during a Nov. 7 press briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congress is considering President Biden\u2019s budget package of roughly $106 billion in emergency supplemental funds. The measure aims to support U.S. and allies\u2019 defense needs, including Ukraine and Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Biden administration hopes to use much of that funding to boost industrial base capacity, a growing number of House Republicans oppose additional Ukraine aid and have instead pushed for a stand-alone $14 billion Israel supplemental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legislation is important for the Army so that it can \u201cmeet the growing challenges we face today and in the future,\u201d Doug Bush said. \u201cThe lion\u2019s share of this funding is being invested here in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army has sent more than two million 155mm rounds to Ukraine as that country fights off a Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The support has led to a frantic uptick in replenishing the service\u2019s stockpile.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service has already taken major steps over the last year to strengthen its 155mm industrial base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the war in Ukraine, the U.S. could build about 14,400 of the artillery shells per month. But as Ukrainian forces burn through the ammunition for howitzers sent to the country, the U.S. is hoping to ramp up production<\/a> to roughly 100,000 shells a month by the end of calendar year 2025, Bush said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the Army has been making 155mm shells at a single service plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and a privately operated facility nearby. All of the shells are then transported to one place \u2013 Iowa Army Ammunition Plant \u2013 where they are packed with explosives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the service is under contract with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to build a new, mostly automated facility in Mesquite, Texas, to build more shells, as well as a company in Ontario, Canada \u2013 IMT Defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, the Army also awarded $1.5 billion in contracts <\/a>to nine companies in the U.S., Canada, India and Poland to boost global production of 155mm artillery rounds. The contracts included procuring 14.2 million pounds of bulk energetics, consisting of TNT and IMX-104 explosive, as well as 270,000 primers, 678,000 fuses and combustible cartridge cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\t