Army To Triple Munitions Production – Align Ukraine Support With Modernization

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) The US Army is massively revving up its ability to produce large quantities of munitions such that the monthly output for 155mm artillery shells, anti-tank rounds for Javelins and precision rockets such as Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems will triple in just the next few years.

Of great significance, however, is that the ramp up is not only geared toward ongoing support to Ukraine but also grounded in Army modernization strategies intended to sustain, upgrade and deliver high volumes of precision munitions. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth recently told reporters that production ramp up efforts in support of Ukraine are entirely aligned with both short and long-term Army objectives.

“We went from about 14,000 munitions per month to production rates of about 20,000 per month. We expect to be up to 75,000 by mid 2025. We are doing that in similar ways with Javelins. We are trying to increase those production lines and pull those to the left as much as possible,” Wormuth said. “Throughout the process of arming Ukrainians, we have been careful to balance their needs with our need to stay ready. We’re working closely with industry to increase production capacity on things like GMLRS, Javelin and 155mm artillery.”

Wormuth explained the support for Ukraine in terms of a careful balancing act in which the US sustains impactful assistance, yet does so in a way that preserves or even bolsters and supports the US Army’s production needs. In certain respects, it appears the two efforts can synchronize to a degree and support one another, particularly in the case of certain weapons and munitions. Increasing industrial capacity and adding new contracting mechanisms for US industry to support Ukraine also brings the added effect of bolstering production as needed for the US.

“We put $ 1.2 billion in the ‘24 budget to invest in our industrial base and we’ve invested $ 2.1 billion into munitions, from GMLRS up to Patriot. We want to make sure we can continue to assist Ukrainians. There are things like Patriots which the Ukrainians have used to very good effect which they would like more of. We have to weigh carefully as Patriot is a finite quantity,” Wormuth explained.

There are likely several key reasons why the US Army is emphasizing munitions production for its own future along with of course establishing mechanisms to sustain long-term support for Ukraine. While the Army has for years now been quite focused on precision guidance for land munitions, ongoing modernization efforts involving breakthrough innovations are massively increasing the attack range of land-fired weapons and improving guidance technology.