White House Adviser Raises Concerns Over Shortage of 155mm Artillery Shells in US Stockpile Amidst Heightened Military Aid to Ukraine
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced on July 16 that President Joe Biden has instructed the Pentagon to swiftly enhance the nation’s ammunition production capacity to meet any conflict requirements. “We are consistently ramping up ammunition supply on a monthly basis,” Sullivan stated.
Sullivan acknowledged that since assuming office, the Biden administration recognized a significant shortage in the stockpile of 155 mm ammunition, which serves as the standard NATO ammunition.
In light of the United States’ efforts to bolster military assistance to Ukraine, Sullivan cautioned that it could take several years to replenish the ammunition stockpile to an acceptable level.
US media earlier this year reported that Ukraine is using artillery shells faster than the production capacity of the US and NATO member states . This makes the Pentagon play a central role in increasing the productivity of artillery shells.
In a recent statement, Mr. Sullivan, a representative from the United States, acknowledged that cluster munitions had been provided to Ukraine. He stated, “These munitions were swiftly delivered to Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the front lines and are expected to be utilized within the coming hours or days.”
The decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine was made by President Biden due to the depletion of their conventional artillery resources. Cluster bombs are capable of causing extensive damage with multiple sub-shells, although their accuracy is not as precise as that of artillery shells.
Since the outbreak of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in February 2022, the United States has been the primary provider of aid to Ukraine. The total military assistance from the US to Ukraine exceeds $42 billion, with the most recent announced package, valued at $800 million, revealed on July 7th.
