Objective: one million ammunition per year. The European Union intends to accelerate its production of shells thanks to a bill presented on May 3 by Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Industry and Defence. “It’s about directly supporting industrial projects to ensure the ramp-up of our industrial base,” he explained.
The proposal was baptized “Act to Support Ammunition Production” or “ASAP”, the acronym also designating in English the expression “as soon as possible” (“as quickly as possible”). Because according to the Commission, time is running out. It wishes to replenish its strategic stocks, but also to help Ukraine, to which it has promised military support. The plan is therefore endowed with a budget of 500 million euros. 260 million come from the European Defense Fund, and the remaining 240 will be withdrawn from the future Edirpa instrument, also intended to stimulate the defense industry.
“War Economy”
Thierry Breton hopes to have his proposal adopted by the end of June. This was eagerly awaited: it constitutes the third phase of the action plan approved on March 20 by the European Council, aimed at supplying at least one million 155 mm caliber shells to the Ukrainian army. “I am confident that, within twelve months, we will be able to increase our production capacity to one million ammunition per year in Europe”, assured the commissioner.
In detail, the plan provides financial support for the fifteen European companies producing ammunition. It also suggests the creation of a mechanism to map and monitor possible blockages in supply chains, and the introduction of a temporary regulatory framework to deal with the shortage of ammunition supplies. Manufacturers “do not currently have the scope to meet the security needs of Ukraine and our Member States. But they have all the potential to do so”, maintained Thierry Breton, who visited the sites of the main ammunition producers in the European Union. “In terms of defence, our industrialists must now switch to war economy mode.”
Regarding the immediate needs of Ukraine, which claims to have almost completed preparations for its counter-offensive, “we must continue to provide stocks”, said Thierry Breton. Since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s appeal on February 9, member states have delivered nearly 40,000 shells and more than a thousand missiles to Kiev for their anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, according to indications obtained by AFP. But these data correspond to the reimbursement requests submitted by the Member States: they do not reflect the reality of the supplies covered by defense secrecy.
An envelope of one billion euros is planned to reimburse part of the ammunition taken by the Member States from their arsenals. A second envelope of one billion euros will be used to co-finance joint purchases of 155 mm shells. Orders will be placed in September with manufacturers, whose production is carried out in the European Union and Norway.