PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. — The U.S. Army, aligned with the Department of Defense’s National Defense Industrial Strategy, is significantly increasing its production capacity of 155mm artillery munitions. This initiative, undertaken by the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunitions (JPEO A&A), aims to produce 100,000 155mm artillery projectiles per month by 2025.
To achieve this goal, JPEO A&A’s Project Manager Combat Ammunition System (PM CAS) hosted a 155mm Industry Summit on January 16 at Picatinny Arsenal with the aim to brief industry partners on the technical requirements and program planning for accelerating and expanding the production of 155mm munitions.
Speaking to those in attendance, Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, the Joint Program Executive Officer Armaments and Ammunition, thanked the industry for their support in executing $2.8 billion in the industrial base during the 2023 fiscal year but noted the work to modernize and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base is far from over. “This coming fiscal year will be another big year as we realize the return on those earlier investments and focus on other priority industrial base requirements,” said Reim. “We, the government and industry teams, are making history in this once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild the arsenal of democracy.”
Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States has provided extensive support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where the supply of 155mm Howitzer systems and ammunition remains in high demand. The U.S.’s contribution of over 2 million rounds of artillery has proven pivotal in bolstering Ukrainian defenses and supporting counter-offensive operations.
In response to the escalating need of ammunition, the JPEO A&A swiftly implemented several measures to increase production early in the conflict. These actions included the introduction of additional shifts, investing in supply chain resilience and targeted facilitation efforts. At present, the U.S. Army is manufacturing 30,000 155mm rounds per month, doubling its previous output of 14,000 rounds prior to the conflict. Moreover, plans are underway to build and commission new production facilities to further expand production capacity.
The summit saw the collaboration between key DoD stakeholders such as U.S. Army Contracting Command, PM CAS, and Project Director Joint Services, and included discussions regarding various aspects of munition production such as the load/assemble/pack processes, metal parts, fuzes, propellants, primers and associated materials.
Col. Leon Rogers, Project Manager for PM CAS, underscored the need for industry collaboration to the nearly 200 industry partners in attendance.
“Collaborating with industry is especially vital to meet the demands of the United States and its international partners,” said Rogers. “By doing so, we can ensure that our production capabilities are not just maintained, but significantly enhanced in our effort to rebuild the arsenal of democracy.”
The summit highlighted the Army’s reliance on the innovation and expertise of the U.S. industrial base to produce complete 155mm rounds.
The expansion in production addresses immediate demands and also strategically strengthens the U.S.’s military readiness and ally support. Together with the leadership of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, JPEO A&A is actively communicating with allied partners about the expanded production capacity available to them and opportunities to increase interoperability.
This collaborative effort between the Army and industry is crucial in reaching the target of 100,000 projectiles per month and emphasizes the importance of establishing a credible deterrence against potential adversaries. It also underscores the commitment to fight and win the nation’s conflicts, safeguard national security interests, and continue supporting allies and international partners as the arsenal of democracy.
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