CNN: US defense contractors face challenges in replenishing Ukraine's stockpiles
The Pentagon is required to reduce its military assistance to Ukraine due to its inability to adequately replenish its own stockpiles, which could potentially lead to the forfeiture of aid funds. Read Full Article at RT.com
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Ukraine is receiving less military support from the US as the Pentagon is facing shortages of equipment and ammunition that can be sent overseas without jeopardizing national security, according to a CNN report citing anonymous officials. The shortfall is due to defense contractors not being able to replenish domestic inventories quickly enough, and it may take "years" before production levels can be increased sufficiently to restore stocks, the news outlet noted.
Since April, the value of the individual military aid packages sent by the US to Kiev hasn't surpassed $400 million, with most ranging between $125 million and $250 million, CNN mentioned. This marks a significant reduction from the larger packages in the range of $600-million to $800-million as seen in 2022 and earlier in 2023. The largest package during that time was valued at $2.85 billion.
CNN's sources indicated the primary issue is the current state of US inventories and the Pentagon's capability to replenish them. "It’s about the stockpiles we have on our shelves, what [the Ukrainians] are asking for, and whether we can meet those requests with what we currently have" without undermining America’s national security, said one official.
Before the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in early 2022, the US production of 155mm artillery shells stood at 15,000 per month, CNN reported. Production rates have since increased to 40,000 shells per month, yet reaching the desired output of 100,000 shells per month will take over a year, with the overall process expected to stretch across several years. “There are limits to how quickly we can draw down equipment without impacting military readiness, which is one reason packages get spaced out,” said another source from CNN.
Recently, the AP reported that the US risks not utilizing $5.8 billion of the $13.4 billion in military aid approved by Congress last April. The White House has petitioned Congress for more time to allocate these funds, a request later echoed by the Pentagon as the deadline at the end of September approaches.
An earlier report by The Wall Street Journal suggested that Western advisors have recommended Kiev temper its expectations of defeating Russia militarily. Achieving such a victory would necessitate "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of support" from Western nations, a level of assistance that "neither Washington nor Europe can realistically do," according to the WSJ.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
Since April, the value of the individual military aid packages sent by the US to Kiev hasn't surpassed $400 million, with most ranging between $125 million and $250 million, CNN mentioned. This marks a significant reduction from the larger packages in the range of $600-million to $800-million as seen in 2022 and earlier in 2023. The largest package during that time was valued at $2.85 billion.
CNN's sources indicated the primary issue is the current state of US inventories and the Pentagon's capability to replenish them. "It’s about the stockpiles we have on our shelves, what [the Ukrainians] are asking for, and whether we can meet those requests with what we currently have" without undermining America’s national security, said one official.
Before the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in early 2022, the US production of 155mm artillery shells stood at 15,000 per month, CNN reported. Production rates have since increased to 40,000 shells per month, yet reaching the desired output of 100,000 shells per month will take over a year, with the overall process expected to stretch across several years. “There are limits to how quickly we can draw down equipment without impacting military readiness, which is one reason packages get spaced out,” said another source from CNN.
Recently, the AP reported that the US risks not utilizing $5.8 billion of the $13.4 billion in military aid approved by Congress last April. The White House has petitioned Congress for more time to allocate these funds, a request later echoed by the Pentagon as the deadline at the end of September approaches.
An earlier report by The Wall Street Journal suggested that Western advisors have recommended Kiev temper its expectations of defeating Russia militarily. Achieving such a victory would necessitate "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of support" from Western nations, a level of assistance that "neither Washington nor Europe can realistically do," according to the WSJ.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
