May 30, 2024
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-army-lambasts-general-dynamics-for-artillery-plant-failures-wl
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.
The Army’s letter notes that UAPLs 1 and 2 have overrun their completion dates of November 22, 2024, and April 16, 2025, respectively, and that UAPL 3 is expected to miss its contract date of March 3, 2026. These failures have caused the postponement of six test dates so far, with more to come. UAPL 3 is now projected to come online sometime in 2027.
GD-OTS is also experiencing quality control problems.
With a stated goal of 100,000 rounds per month by October, 2025, the US was only producing 18,000 complete rounds as of September 2024, growing to 36,000 rounds by June of this year.
I assume General Dynamics will argue that replacing will production even further behind.
Has the US corporations forgotten how to manufacture?