EU lacks explosives to produce more ammunition for Ukraine, - FT

EU lacks explosives to produce more ammunition for Ukraine, - FT

Due to the shortage of explosives, Europe cannot produce more ammunition for Ukraine. Scaling up production of projectiles can take about three years.

 

 This is reported by the Financial Times.

 

 According to officials and manufacturers, shortages of gunpowder, plastic explosives and TNT have left the industry unable to quickly fulfill expected EU orders for Ukraine, despite how much money will be allocated to solve the problem.

 

 "The fundamental problem is that the European defense industry cannot produce military products on a large scale," said a German official.

 

 Meanwhile, producers, industry executives and EU officials warn that increased demand can only push up prices, which have already jumped by a fifth over the past year.

 

 "It is very difficult to increase the production of artillery ammunition, especially heavy large-caliber ammunition, in a short time. It is very easy to build a new artillery factory, but how do you produce more artillery shells without raw materials?" - said the head of the Defense and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic, Jiří Hinek.

 

 Defense industry officials say Europe has limited supplies of explosives such as gunpowder, TNT and nitrocellulose, which are needed to make the shells.

 

Hinek noted that it is not possible to increase the production of nitrocellulose in a short time. In addition, increasing the production of gunpowder will take about three years.

 

 Czech state-owned producer Explosia, which is one of Europe's largest suppliers of explosives to munitions factories, said its production of the propellant used in the 155mm artillery was "running at full capacity" and would not be increased until 2026.

 

 In addition, the Romanian government recently announced that it is negotiating with American and South Korean companies to build a gunpowder plant in the country. The last such plant was closed in 2004.

 

 One of the two Spanish manufacturers of 155 mm artillery, Fábrica Municiones de Granada (FMG), has also been operating at full capacity since October 2022, producing shells for a trading company that sells them to Ukraine. But CEO Antonio Caro said the expansion took 4-5 months due to difficulties in sourcing key materials and components.

 

 According to him, the cost of basic materials has doubled, and in some cases tripled. This increase in cost and the surge in demand has driven up the prices of ammunition. A typical projectile today costs 850 euros, about 20% more than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

 Currently, FMG, which is owned by Slovakian group MSM, has no plans to increase capacity. MSM also produces 155mm shells in Slovakia and said it plans to build a new production facility to increase artillery output, but declined to give a timeline.





Due to the shortage of explosives, Europe cannot produce more ammunition for Ukraine. Scaling up production of projectiles can take about three years.

 

 This is reported by the Financial Times.

 

 According to officials and manufacturers, shortages of gunpowder, plastic explosives and TNT have left the industry unable to quickly fulfill expected EU orders for Ukraine, despite how much money will be allocated to solve the problem.

 

 "The fundamental problem is that the European defense industry cannot produce military products on a large scale," said a German official.

 

 Meanwhile, producers, industry executives and EU officials warn that increased demand can only push up prices, which have already jumped by a fifth over the past year.

 

 "It is very difficult to increase the production of artillery ammunition, especially heavy large-caliber ammunition, in a short time. It is very easy to build a new artillery factory, but how do you produce more artillery shells without raw materials?" - said the head of the Defense and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic, Jiří Hinek.

 

 Defense industry officials say Europe has limited supplies of explosives such as gunpowder, TNT and nitrocellulose, which are needed to make the shells.

 

Hinek noted that it is not possible to increase the production of nitrocellulose in a short time. In addition, increasing the production of gunpowder will take about three years.

 

 Czech state-owned producer Explosia, which is one of Europe's largest suppliers of explosives to munitions factories, said its production of the propellant used in the 155mm artillery was "running at full capacity" and would not be increased until 2026.

 

 In addition, the Romanian government recently announced that it is negotiating with American and South Korean companies to build a gunpowder plant in the country. The last such plant was closed in 2004.

 

 One of the two Spanish manufacturers of 155 mm artillery, Fábrica Municiones de Granada (FMG), has also been operating at full capacity since October 2022, producing shells for a trading company that sells them to Ukraine. But CEO Antonio Caro said the expansion took 4-5 months due to difficulties in sourcing key materials and components.

 

 According to him, the cost of basic materials has doubled, and in some cases tripled. This increase in cost and the surge in demand has driven up the prices of ammunition. A typical projectile today costs 850 euros, about 20% more than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

 Currently, FMG, which is owned by Slovakian group MSM, has no plans to increase capacity. MSM also produces 155mm shells in Slovakia and said it plans to build a new production facility to increase artillery output, but declined to give a timeline.