As the US military seeks to drastically increase production of 155mm ammunition to 100,000 a month by the end of 2025, the biggest concern for the agency’s acquisition chief is being able to secure enough explosives to fill them.
“You have to produce enough explosives – either IMX-104 or TNT – to fill that many shells that quickly, and that production capacity doesn’t exist in the United States on its own,” Doug Bush said during a Center for Strategy and International in 5 February. Study event in Washington. “We must go abroad with allies. Fortunately we have many, [that are] very capable.”
Before the war in Ukraine, the US could manufacture about 14,400 artillery shells per month. But as Ukrainian forces burn through shell ammunition shipped into the country, the U.S. has taken a wide variety of measures to increase the velocity and production capacity of the 155mm ammunition.
Bush told CSIS that each 155mm shell contains 22 pounds of explosives. If the U.S. were to make up to 100,000 munitions a month, it would need to produce 26.4 million pounds of explosives, also known as “energy,” annually to keep up.
The Army awarded $1.5 billion in contracts to nine companies in the fall of 2023 to companies in the U.S., Canada, India and Poland to boost global production of 155mm artillery shells. The contracts included the supply of 14.2 million pounds of bulk energy, consisting of TNT and IMX-104 explosives.
The increase in production also leads to Congress approving a pending supplemental budget request aimed at supporting Ukraine and Israel. The supplemental includes $600 million that would triple the amount of IMX-104 explosive manufactured at the Holsten Army Ammunition Plant in Tennessee. The plant produces about five million pounds a year with plans to grow to 13 million pounds.
Another $93 million will upgrade facilities to restore M6 propellant production at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in southwest Virginia. This propellant is used to fire the shells, but is no longer produced in the US
An additional $14 million would cover the construction and re-commissioning of a black powder – an explosive combination of sulfur, carbon and potassium nitrate – production line with a company called Goex in Minden, Louisiana.
Taking over TNT
The Army will also use $650 million to design and build a domestic TNT production facility, likely to be located at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, Bush previously said.
There is currently no production of TNT in the US and supplies come from allies such as Australia and India.
Poland is a major supplier, but with each country ramping up production to support Ukraine and meet its own demands, Bush noted late last year, the US will need to shore up TNT production.
The Army issued a request for information in the fall of 2023 on Sam.gov for the design, construction and commissioning of a facility capable of producing five million pounds of TNT per year. Industry responses are expected on February 17.
The agency aims to complete construction and open the facility no later than 48 months after the contract is awarded. The RFI notes that the government is evaluating multiple sites for the facility.
Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist who covers land warfare for Defense News. He has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
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