Posted in Beijing 2023-12-25 14:47.
Joe Buchino, a senior research analyst at the U.S. Defense Innovation Council, said in an article published on the "True Transparent Defense" website on December 23 that as the war in the Middle East and Europe intensifies, the United States' dwindling high-end ammunition depot has become a shocking crisis. The United States is now facing an arms shortage in a time of uncertainty.
European manufacturers are overwhelmed and struggling to meet Ukraine's consumption at the peak of the fighting, firing 6,000 shells per day. Ukraine's ability to avoid defeat and defend itself against a Russian invasion depends in large part on uninterrupted ** of these rounds. The Ukrainian army is saving ammunition**, which could lead to a delay in the upcoming counterattack. In the coming months, the shortage of ammunition could force the Ukrainian army to make difficult choices in terms of resource allocation across the various fronts, focusing on maintaining control over the most critical areas and potentially causing minor territorial losses in less critical areas.
In order to replenish Ukraine's large ammunition needs, the Ministry of Defense mobilized ammunition reserve stocks from its own war. To further complicate matters: a package of aid to Ukraine from the House of Representatives Republicans Congress in order to develop a stricter immigration policy.
Last year, to help meet Ukraine's ammunition needs, the Pentagon used American 155mm ammunition stored in Israel, sending hundreds of ammunition to thousands of people to Ukraine. The munitions, which have been stored in Israeli bunkers for decades, are designed to provide Israel with a qualitative military advantage, which is the backbone of US Middle East policy. Now Israel needs to target the command of Hamas in the Gaza war. The United States is supporting two countries that have been using large numbers of 155mm guns and other ammunition for months in a war that may continue. With no way around, the Pentagon last month set up a team to inspect U.S. stockpiles to identify ammunition for Israel. Earlier this month, Senator Deb Fisher, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the United States must expand its ammunition production capacity.
The U.S. ** team needs a lot of critical ammunition to fight the technologically advanced army. Such munitions would also require long-range anti-ship munitions for Asian partner forces such as Australia. Inventories also ensure that U.S. industrial output is maintained in times of crisis and maintain the U.S. economy. Global military superiority.
The United States will lack enough bombs and bullets to support its cutting-edge systems, such as fifth-generation fighter jets and high-mobility rocket launch systems, as well as anti-aircraft missiles and Pacific bases needed to protect our nuclear aircraft carriers.
The warning light is now flashing red. The huge demand for ammunition for such conflicts highlights the weakness of the US defense industry, which no longer produces ammunition at the rate it did decades ago. Post-Cold War defense budget cuts led to a rapid consolidation of the defense sector, from 51 major defense providers in the early 90s to 5 at the end of the 20th century. This consolidation has led to a tightening of production capacity.
In order to arm allies and partners, as well as the U.S. military, to deter and, if necessary, fight a major theater war, the U.S. needs critical ammunition stockpiles, Buchino argued. The stockpile will enable the Department of Defense to restore critical ammunition stockpiles that are critical to maintaining air supremacy, defending against air and missile threats, and targeting hard and deeply buried targets.
The procurement bill, introduced by a bipartisan group of senators in the last Congress, would go a long way toward building that stockpile. The legislation aims to establish a $500 million annual circulation** at the Treasury Department for the Pentagon's procurement of critical munitions. This will enable the Department of Defense to use U.S. profits to quickly replenish high-demand munitions to partner nations in future conflicts. The bill, which aims to support democracies and protect U.S. interests abroad, allows the Pentagon to place an ongoing order for critical ammunition. The Senate Armed Services Committee should push for the passage of the Procurement Act into law.
Buccino said defense stockpiles must be expanded, such as those at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The U.S. Defense Reserve has an emergency ** for 50 critical minerals. Many of these minerals, such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, are used in the production of ammunition. The value of U.S. defense stockpiles has plummeted from $42 billion in 1952 to less than $1 billion today. The lack of ammunition stocks and production capacity of the United States is a glaring weakness in the national defense strategy. The U.S. defense reserve of cobalt mineral reserves is only 300 tons, which is significantly lower than that of China. The U.S. Congress must expand its defense stockpile to support a potentially major theater war.