NATO has completed a 1.2 billion euro order to acquire thousands of 155 mm caliber shells used by the Ukrainian military.
Since the war in Ukraine, artillery has become the “queen of combat,” according to Army Chief of Staff General Schill. Facing Russia, Ukrainian armed forces use thousands of shells every day, especially 155 mm.
This caliber, among others of the Caesar cannons, is one of the most lacking. European industrialists, Germans RhinemetalFrench Next and British BAE Systems and Norwegian Nammo produce on a mandatory basis. To accelerate the movement, NATO has completed an order to acquire 220,000 of these munitions for a value of 1.2 billion euros.
“Russia’s war in Ukraine has become a war for munitions,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared on the occasion, calling on NATO countries to “sign” agreements to increase their production.
He also reiterated that he sees no imminent threat to NATO at this stage, at a time when Ukraine will begin its third year of war next month following the Russian invasion of the country on February 24, 2022.
“We see no direct or imminent threat against any NATO partner country and we are closely monitoring, of course, what Russia is doing,” he assured the press.
“Artillery Coalition”
Ukraine has been warning of ammunition shortages for several weeks.
“Ammunition shortages are a very real and pressing problem that our armed forces are currently facing,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerev lamented on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday at the launch of the French-led “artillery coalition.” and the United States.
NATO is working to strengthen its defense capabilities and stocks to further assist Ukraine. In early January, the alliance announced that several allies, including Germany and Spain, had signed an agreement to acquire up to 1,000 Patriot missiles used in anti-aircraft defense at an estimated cost of around 5.5 billion euros.
NSPA, the NATO agency in charge of acquisition and support for the armed forces, also signed a 2.4 billion euro contract in 2023 to acquire 155 mm howitzer-type shells or tank shells. In the last six months, it has signed such contracts worth about ten billion dollars, which for its part was underlined by its general director Stacey Cummings.
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