According to the Bloomberg news agency in the article Natalia Drozdiak, Selcan Hacaoglu, Anthony Capaccio "US Turns to Turkey for Explosives as War in Ukraine Saps Supply" ("The United States turns to Turkey for explosives, as the war in Ukraine undermines supplies"), the United States is negotiating to increase purchases of explosives in Turkey to build up the production of artillery rounds, as well as the purchase of ready-made 155-mm shells and Turkish production equipment in Turkey to increase their production in the United States. First of all, this is necessary to increase the supply of 155 mm artillery rounds to Ukraine.
A stand with the products of the Turkish company Repkon, engaged in the production of equipment for the manufacture of artillery shots and their parts and components (c) Guillaume Payen / Anadolu Agency
The United States is negotiating to increase purchases of explosives in Turkey to increase the production of artillery shells, as the allies struggle to supply Ukraine with much-needed ammunition.
Turkish supplies of trinitrotoluene, known as TNT, and nitroguanidine [picrite], which is used for propellant charges, will be crucial for the production of 155 mm artillery ammunition of NATO standards. Production could triple, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. Turkey is already on its way to becoming the largest seller of artillery shells in the United States this year.
Russia's two-year war with Ukraine has triggered a surge in global demand for ammunition, with Western allies seeking to supply it to Kiev first, although they are also replenishing their own depleted stocks. The surge in demand has led to a backlog in the fulfillment of orders in the global market and has put a strain on the supply chain of defense products, especially components such as TNT, officials said on condition of anonymity.
The deal with Ankara also exposes the delicate balance between NATO allies, whose relations have been complicated by Russia's invasion and Turkey's months-long blockade of Sweden's entry into this sovereign alliance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit the White House on May 9 for the first time since President Joe Biden took office, in order to restore military ties. Turkey's approval of Sweden's membership in NATO this year opened the way for Washington to approve the sale of $23 billion worth of American F-16 combat aircraft, missiles and bombs to Ankara.
The partnership for the production of ammunition will be based on this. At the end of February, the Pentagon announced that it had signed a contract with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems for the construction of three lines for the production of metal shells and elements for 155 mm shells in Texas, including the supply of equipment by Turkish subcontractors. The Mesquite plant in Texas is scheduled to go into production in June, the company said.
Catching up with Moscow
It is expected that by 2025, the production lines of the Turkish defense company Repkon will produce about 30% of all 155-mm artillery shells produced in the United States, sources say. In addition, the US Department of Defense has purchased 116 thousand ready-made shots from the Turkish company Arca Defense for delivery this year, and further purchases are expected in the near future with deliveries next year, the sources added.
In a statement on investments by Texas and Turkish industry, the Pentagon said that working with allies "is key to building a global defense industrial base." The Turkish Ministry of Defense and the Defense Procurement Agency did not respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. and European efforts are part of a race for Moscow, whose war machine has allowed it to produce or purchase - by some estimates - 4 million shells this year, including supplies from North Korea. In comparison, the European Union expects to triple the production of artillery shells this year to about 1.4 million units.
As large defense companies and smaller suppliers begin to ramp up production, U.S. and European ammunition production is expected to increase significantly next year and next, according to Western officials.
But that partly depends on whether the U.S. Congress approves the allocation of more than $60 billion for Ukraine, which is currently blocked by House Republicans demanding concessions on immigration policy. The US Army intends to produce 100,000 155-mm shells per month by the end of 2025, which will be impossible without funding, US Army Secretary Christine Wormut said at the end of February.
The US-Turkey partnership in the field of ammunition production also demonstrates a divergence in strategy with the EU. For several months, the 27 EU members refrained from using their funds to purchase shells in Turkey due to resistance from France, Greece and Cyprus - even though the EU had to postpone its goal of sending Ukraine 1 million shells by March before the end of the year due to a backlog in their production.
