US Army Scrambles to Increase Ammo Production for Extended Conflict

The US Army is under pressure to produce more ammunition, including the critical 155 mm howitzer rounds, to support Ukraine and prepare for a potential conflict with China. The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant is one of just two sites in the US that make the steel bodies for the shells, and the Army plans to spend billions on munitions plants around the country. However, the historic Scranton plant is limited in space and production capacity, and the US cannot replenish its stockpile or catch up to the usage pace in Ukraine, where officials estimate that the Ukrainian military is firing 6,000 to 8,000 shells per day.