The Chief of Staff of the US Army, Mark Milley, expressed concern about the rapid reduction of ammunition stocks in the US. In a war between great powers, they probably won’t be sufficiently prepared, he warns. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asked Congress for additional resources.
Milli says the war in Ukraine shows how much ammunition consumption can be in any major conflict. The United States has already supplied Ukraine with massive amounts of munitions, meaning that its own stockpile has now dwindled dramatically.
“If there was a war on the Korean Peninsula, or a war between major powers like the United States and Russia, or the United States and China, consumption would be extremely high,” he explains. – So I’m worried. The same applies to the Minister of Defense, he explains. “We still have a long way to go to ensure our reserves are ready for contingencies.”
Christine Wormuth, the US Army secretary, told lawmakers last week that the force is confident that the amount of military aid it has sent to Ukraine so far will not weaken its own combat readiness. But they say that it is closely monitored.
However, according to observers, stocks of 155 millimeter artillery ammunition in the United States are of particular concern. The USA has already supplied Ukraine with 160 howitzers and more than a million rounds of this type of ammunition. According to the Pentagon, consumption is high: during the war, up to 3,000 units are consumed per day. Experts also believe that there is a shortage of ammunition for the multiple rocket launcher systems, which the US also supplies to Ukraine.
The Pentagon is asking for $30 billion (about $27.7 billion) to invest in the industrial production of equipment used by the U.S. military. Money is also needed in order to produce as much ammunition as possible and to increase production quickly.
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Source : HLN