(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The United States has turned to Turkey for assistance in its efforts to boost artillery shell production for supply to Ukraine, which is currently facing a critical shortage of artillery ammunition.
Washington has also increased its acquisition of materials such as Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and Nitroguanidine from Turkey, crucial ingredients used as propellants in the production of 155mm artillery shells according to NATO standards.
The aid and cooperation from Turkey are crucial to ensuring a threefold increase in the production of these artillery shells to address the shortage faced by Ukraine.
The choice of Turkey by the United States stems from the fact that all artillery shells, rockets, and guided projectiles produced by Turkey comply with NATO standards.
Besides the United States, several European countries also procure artillery shells from Turkey.
According to a report by Bloomberg news agency, Turkish defense company Repkon is expected to increase the production of 155mm artillery shells by 30 percent by the year 2025.
The news report also mentions that the United States has purchased 116,000 artillery shells from Turkish defense company Arca Defense, with delivery expected this year.
Washington is anticipated to further increase orders for artillery shells from Arca Defense next year.
Ukraine is grappling with a critical shortage of 155mm artillery shells, as a $60 billion financial aid package from the United States failed to gain approval from its Congress.
The shortfall in financial aid and weaponry from the United States has had a profound impact on the Ukrainian military, resulting in setbacks on battlegrounds such as Avdiivka recently.
In contrast to Ukraine, Russia’s defense industry produces nearly 250,000 artillery shells per month or approximately 3 million artillery shells per year, which is three times more than the combined production of the United States and Europe, as stated by European intelligence agencies.
Apart from domestically produced artillery shells, Russia also receives artillery shells, rockets, and guided projectiles from friendly countries such as Iran and North Korea, which have supplied various types of weaponry to Moscow.
Not only artillery shells, rockets, and guided projectiles, but Iran, for example, also supplies kamikaze drones like the “Shahed-136” for use by Russian forces in Ukraine. — DSA