U.S. revealed audit details on failure of plans to achieve 155mm artillery ammunition monthly production target, where decision was made to take risk rather than wait for new equipment.
In March 2022, U.S. set goal to produce 100,000 155mm shells monthly starting October 2025. However after 4 years, meaning as of March 2026, reached only 36,000 monthly, which raised many questions.
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To determine failure causes, Pentagon conducted audit revealing problems at one contractor's plant in Mesquite, Texas, which was to produce 30,000 shells monthly but could not produce single metal ammunition part meeting contract requirements.
During 7 months after receiving order, enterprise failed all set timelines. Executing company, not named precisely, explained this with need for large-scale modernization and production line replacement. However difficulties continued further.
Here it emerges that during agreement conclusion, contractor plan was approved involving purchasing manufacturing equipment for obsolete M107 shells and adapting it for modern ammunition component production. This supposedly would be faster than purchasing specialized equipment for modern M795 shells.
As result, U.S. Army procurement department agreed to risk with unique and unverified production idea, as in case of success everything would work out very well using already available equipment. However result was not as expected.
Also Scranton, Pennsylvania U.S. Army plant, operated by same company owning Mesquite enterprise, has problems achieving planned 35,000 monthly. Equipment modernization problems are cited as causes. It is expected that as of September 2026, U.S. overall will manufacture 71,000 shells monthly.
Pentagon auditors issued recommendations for reviewing Mesquite plant company order fairness and finding other sources to close 29,000 shell deficit. In response, U.S. Army noted 20,000 units monthly by 2028 will nevertheless be manufactured in Mesquite, while another 9,000 will come from other sources.
Defense Express recalls that despite mass availability, 155mm M107 shell is very old ammunition with poor characteristics. Even Ukraine refused its procurement for Defense Forces needs.
At the same time, manufacturing equipment for them is very widespread worldwide, so from economy and re-profiling speed perspective for more modern shells could have appeared expedient. Especially if viewing this only from numbers and spreadsheet side.
However one of M107's main poor characteristic causes is obsolete heavy design with different technological processes. Therefore although some elements could be adapted for today's needs, others will prove obsolete or require more effort and time than purchasing new.
Recall Europe has long surpassed U.S. in artillery ammunition production volumes. Specifically Rheinmetall alone produces 1.1 million units annually compared to American planned 852,000 annually at 71,000 monthly.
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