The U.S. Army is moving to establish a second production source for barrels for 155mm M777 towed howitzers in response to what it calls “unprecedented demand” from Ukraine. Only one U.S. government-owned and operated arsenal makes the barrels and that facility cannot currently meet a requirement to churn out more than 30 new ones each month. Discussion of the need for more barrels for M777 howitzers was included in a recently released Pentagon budget document dated Dec. 17, 2024, which details several so-called reprogramming actions related to U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.
This feels solvable for the USA. It makes it feel like the choice to arm Ukraine is deliberately intended to put pressures on the supply chain to find and address gaps.
ukraine has become a military testing/proving grounds for the hardware, logistics and supply chains for both russia and the united states
And a money printing ground for all defense contractors