US launches new plant to produce shells for Ukraine

The New York Times reports.

The new General Dynamics facility in Mesquite, Texas, will make 30,000 each month once it reaches its full capacity.

Currently the 155-mm ammunition segment of the American arms industry designates 66,000 rounds per month for Ukraine, or nearly 800,000 per year.

By July, another spanking new plant in Kansas is set to fire up, and a second production line will be completed in Iowa by year's end. To ensure continuous supply for Ukraine's artillery units, the Pentagon established a production goal last year of 100,000 shells per month by the conclusion of 2025. 

The United States has provided more than three million 155-millimeter shells to Kyiv since February 2022. 

Like the US, Europe is rapidly increasing ammunition production

Only German Rheinmetall plans to reach a capacity of 700,000 by the end of this year. On June 3, Rheinmetall announced the construction of its fourth new plant. This time in Lithuania, worth $200 million and with a capacity of “tens of thousands of 155-mm per month.” 

Earlier, the Czech Foreign Minister said that starting in June, the Czech Republic plans to supply Ukraine with 50,000 to 100,000 shells per month.

• On June 3, Lithuania signed a $180 million deal with the German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall to build a major arms factory.