The British Army depends on ammunition to be as successful as possible on the battlefield, thus the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has placed new orders worth £280 million with defence giant BAE Systems.
The need for ongoing sovereign manufacturing capabilities is highlighted by the fact that these most recent orders coincide with ongoing wars and tensions around the world.
The new orders would dramatically enhance the production of essential military stockpiles like 155mm artillery shells, 30mm medium calibre rounds and 5.56mm ammunition, building on the existing £2.4bn 15-year cooperation arrangement between BAE and the MOD.
According to BAE, “The orders, worth £280m, with the option to increase to more than £400m, will create more than 200 new jobs in the North of England and South Wales, boosting the company’s 1,200-strong UK munitions workforce.”
A report revealed, the largest military company in Britain received record orders for 2022 due to the “elevated threat environment” created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As nations strengthened their fortifications in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, BAE announced its highest-ever order intake of £37.1 billion for the previous year, which caused its order backlog to increase to £58.9 billion.
“The new orders will significantly increase the production of vital defence stocks such as 155mm artillery shells, 30mm medium calibre rounds and 5.56mm ammunition,” said BAE.
Key investments, includes
- An additional 155mm machining line at Washington, Tyne & Wear, are apparently already underway to support the enhanced manufacturing pace.
- South Wales’ Glascoed has a new explosives filling factory.
- Restoration of manufacturing capacity for 30mm medium calibre at Washington and Glascoed.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “The production of 155mm shells is a demonstration of our commitment to invest in our Armed Forces and sovereign manufacturing capabilities.
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