U.S. talks to increase explosives purchases from Turkey amid Ukraine's ammunition shortage - Bloomberg

The United States is negotiating to increase purchases of explosives from Turkey to boost the production of artillery shells as allies try to deliver much-needed ammunition to Ukraine, UNN reports citing Bloomberg.

The newspaper notes that Turkish supplies of trinitrotoluene, known as TNT, and nitroguanidine, which is used as a fuel, will be crucial in the production of NATO-standard 155 mm ammunition. Production could potentially triple, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Turkey is already on track to become the largest seller of artillery shells to the United States this year.

Russia's two-year war in Ukraine has sparked a surge in global demand for ammunition, with Western allies scrambling to supply Kyiv even as they replenish their own depleted stockpiles. According to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the surge in demand has led to a backlog of global orders and put a strain on defense supply chains, particularly for components such as TNT.

The agreement with Ankara also exposes the delicate balance between North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, whose relations have been strained by Russia's invasion and Turkey's months-long blockade of Sweden's accession to the military alliance.

According to media reports, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit the White House on May 9 for the first time since President Joe Biden took office, as the two have smoothed out military relations. Turkey's approval of Sweden's NATO membership this year cleared the way for Washington to sign off on a $23 billion sale of U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft, missiles and bombs to Ankara.

This will be the basis for the partnership in ammunition production. In late February, the Pentagon announced that it had awarded a contract to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to build three metal parts production lines for 155mm shells in Texas, including Turkish subcontractors. The plant in Mesquite, Texas, is scheduled to start production in June, the company said.

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According to Bloomberg, the production lines of Turkish defense firm Repkon are expected to produce about 30% of all 155mm artillery rounds produced in the US by 2025. In addition, the Defense Department has purchased 116,000 live ammunition rounds from Turkey's Arca Defense for delivery this year, with additional purchases expected next year.

In a statement about the Texas investment and Turkish industry, the Pentagon said that cooperation with allies "is key to building a global defense industrial base." The Turkish Defense Ministry and the Defense Procurement Agency did not respond to a request for comment.

The article notes that the U.S. and European efforts are part of a race to catch up with Moscow, whose military machine has allowed it to produce or purchase - by some estimates - 4 million rounds of ammunition this year, including supplies from North Korea. In contrast, the European Union expects to triple its production of artillery shells this year to about 1.4 million units.

As large defense companies and smaller suppliers begin to ramp up production, ammunition production in the U.S. and Europe is expected to increase significantly next year and beyond, Western officials say.

But this partly depends on whether the US Congress approves more than $60 billion in aid earmarked for Ukraine, which is currently blocked by House Republicans demanding concessions on migration. The U.S. Army plans to produce 100,000 155-mm shells a month by the end of 2025, which will be impossible without funds.

The U.S. partnership with Turkey in munitions production also reveals divergent strategies with the EU. For several months, the bloc has refrained from using funds for purchases from Turkey due to resistance from France, Greece, and Cyprus-even as it had to postpone its goal of sending Ukraine 1 million shells by March until the end of the year. production backlog.