U.S. Army commits to increasing artillery production to 100,000 shells per month.

Under the Department of Defense's National Defense Industrial Strategy, the U.S. Army and its industrial partners have announced a significant increase in the production capacity of 155mm artillery munitions. This effort, led by the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A), aims to reach a production level of 100,000 155mm artillery projectiles per month by 2025.
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Bands broken, dozens of 155mm Base Burn Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions rounds wait to be loaded into M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzers. (Picture source: US DoD )

To achieve this target, JPEO A&A's Project Manager Combat Ammunition System (PM CAS) organized a 155mm Industry Summit on January 16 at Picatinny Arsenal to brief industry partners on the technical requirements and program planning needed to accelerate and expand the production of 155mm munitions.

At the summit, Major General John T. Reim, the Joint Program Executive Officer Armaments and Ammunition, expressed gratitude to the industry for their support in executing $2.8 billion within the industrial base during the fiscal year 2023, while emphasizing that the effort to modernize and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base is ongoing. "This fiscal year will be another significant year as we see the returns on those previous investments and focus on other priority industrial base requirements," Reim stated. "Together, government and industry teams are marking a historic opportunity in this generation to rebuild the arsenal of democracy."

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States has provided extensive support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where the need for 155mm Howitzer systems and ammunition remains high. The U.S.'s contribution of over 2 million rounds of artillery has been critical in reinforcing Ukrainian defenses and supporting counter-offensive operations.

In response to the increasing demand for ammunition, JPEO A&A quickly implemented measures to boost production early in the conflict. These measures included adding additional shifts, investing in supply chain resilience, and targeted facilitation efforts. Currently, the U.S. Army is producing 30,000 155mm rounds per month, doubling its previous output of 14,000 rounds before the conflict. Furthermore, plans are in progress to construct and commission new production facilities to further expand production capacity.

The summit facilitated collaboration among key DoD stakeholders such as the U.S. Army Contracting Command, PM CAS, and the Project Director Joint Services, and included discussions on various aspects of munition production like loading/assembling/packing processes, metal parts, fuzes, propellants, primers, and associated materials.

Colonel Leon Rogers, Project Manager for PM CAS, highlighted the importance of industrial collaboration to the nearly 200 industry partners in attendance. Not only to ensure production capabilities but also to rebuild the national stockpile. Indeed, expanding production meets immediate demands and strategically strengthens the U.S.'s military readiness and ally support.

Defense News February 2024