Forget F-35 Problems-We Cannot Even Manufacture Artillery Rounds

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The Army’s acquisition czar told Congress this week that he is less than pleased with how the Army’s plant in Mesquite, Texas is producing needed 155mm artillery projectiles, as the service continues to lag behind a targeted production goal of 100,000 shells a month.

*The Army says that UAPL 1’s equipment did not meet the “technical requirements of the contract.” Even so, GD-OTS continued shipping similarly suspect UAPL 3 equipment.
The United States Army has issued a “show cause” letter to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) over its questionable management of three new 155mm artillery round production lines. GD-OTS has until July 10 to justify construction delays and improper equipment. The letter suggests that an unsatisfactory answer could result in the Army pulling the contract and awarding it to another firm.

GD-OTS is also experiencing quality control problems. The Army says that UAPL 1’s equipment did not meet the “technical requirements of the contract.” Even so, GD-OTS continued shipping similar UAPL 3 equipment, which will also likely fail to meet specified standards.*

And there is a supply line problem also.

*TNT is in critical shortage in NATO militaries, as decades ago the production of TNT was outsourced abroad for environmental and safety reasons.

But another bottleneck exists for the highest-quality cotton fibers, which are used in propellants. Most of that cotton was sourced from China, who is closely allied with Russia.

Military suppliers are scrambling, to locate alternate sources of high-grade cotton, and to refurbish TNT factories that have been long closed.*

This doesn’t happen China. They likely drag the manager out and put a bullet in his head. Here they ask for more money & time. And they get it.

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Obviously we had massive capacity to make these munitions in WWII. We carried the “Peace Dividend” too far and now have a shortage of capacity and probably skilled manpower to run them.

Even if a plant from WWII is still operable keeping it in compliance with modern OSHA and environmental requirements required investment. Apparently we didn’t do that.

The largest TNT plant in WWII was in Weldon Springs, MO. Later the land was used to process uranium. We also had a large govt munitions plant in North St Louis. All shut down. Obsolete. No longer needed in peace time.

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Agreed. We also reduced our shipyards, so now we can barely turn out many ship types. We’re OK with carriers and subs. What we need is capacity for DDG and FFG, and that is very limited. IMO, we should start new shipyards, and in the interim buy Korean DDGs and FFGs. Theirs are pretty good, and will do until we can increase our capacity.

Speaking of WWII, this rhymes. Prior to WWII we invested very little in our military. A combination of isolationism and the secure feeling of having two oceans separating us from the rest of the world. The former was always a foolish notion, and the latter doesn’t really apply anymore. Like pre-WWII, we’re letting our enemies (and we do have enemies) build and position themselves while we do very little to oppose. China, especially.

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