The U.S. Army Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) along with the U.S. Army Contracting Command - New Jersey (ACC-NJ) have awarded $961 million worth of contracts to massively scale up the production of 155mm artillery shells.
Collectively, the contracts pay for the production of hundreds of thousands of propellant charges for the Army's new M1128 High Explosive (HE) projectile. "This new projectile will provide U.S. artillery with extended-range capabilities and will give brigade combat teams the ability to deliver near-precision fires at distances of up to 30 kilometers without relying on exquisite munitions," an Army press release explained.
Another contract was awarded to greatly expand the manufacturing of the High Fragmentation Steel (HF-1) round as well. Taken together the contracts are aimed at helping the Army achieve its goal of producing 100,000 artillery shells per month by the fiscal year of 2026.
"This rapid increase in production is part of a broader effort to support U.S. munitions replenishment activities and support international partners, such as Ukraine, which has relied heavily on artillery in its defense against Russian forces," said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim. “As geopolitical challenges continue to evolve, the U.S. Army’s focus on transformation and expansion ensures that our Joint Warfighters and international partners maintain overmatch and have the resources they need to succeed on the battlefield."
Before the end of the year, the Army plans to commission the opening of three new artillery production facilities in the United States and one in Canada.
