US ammo plant ramps up artillery shell production for Ukraine

A Pennsylvania ammunition plant has ramped up its production of artillery shells for Ukraine by 50% as part of defense aid efforts.

The facility also plans to introduce additional production capacity, News.Az reports citing foreign media.

According to Richard Hansen, the Army commander's representative at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (Pennsylvania), the focus is currently on producing 155mm artillery shells.

"We’re working really hard to ensure that we achieve the goal that the Pentagon has established," he added.

The Army's ammunition plant sends the shell casings to Iowa, where they are filled with explosive material and equipped with fuses.

The Scranton facility, along with two others in nearby Wilkes-Barre, recently increased its production from 24,000 shells per month to 36,000.

Additionally, the plant representative told AP that three new production lines are being developed, which will allow the Scranton facility to produce even more critical munitions.

Notably, the plant has been operated by General Dynamics under a contract with the U.S. government since 2006.

According to the US government, the States have already sent over 3 million 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine since Russia's large-scale invasion in February 2022.

Earlier in August, the White House announced another defense package for Ukraine worth $125 million, which includes, among other items, 155mm shells.

It is also worth noting that Ukraine received a military aid package from the US on August 9.

News.Az