US approves sale of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to 'Israel'
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In early December, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the Pentagon had nearly doubled its spending on artillery shell production in recent years.
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An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires a shell from southern occupied Palestine towards the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023 (AP Photo)
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Biden administration has cleared a potential $147.5 million foreign military sale of M107 155mm ammunition and supporting equipment.
The agency statement detailed that “The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of M107 155mm projectiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $147.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today."
In early December, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the Pentagon had nearly doubled its spending on artillery shell production in recent years.
The surge in investment is driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine, as Kiev runs through Western ammunition supplies. The Secretary of Defense pointed to the critical need for increased munitions support to Ukraine during his address.
Austin highlighted the urgency, saying, "Ukraine’s high burn rate for artillery [amid the conflict with Russia] has hammered home the need to invest even more in munitions."
He said that compared to the defense budget five years ago, the US is allocating nearly 50% more funds to munitions. Furthermore, he declared an ambitious plan to supposedly quadruple America's production of artillery shells during the current administration.
The US Secretary of Defense also discussed an effort for the US defense industrial base, with a $50 billion allocation that will secure tens of thousands of jobs across more than 30 states to enhance the US weapons production output, which has struggled to keep up with Ukrainian demand.
'Israel' receives 244 US cargo planes, 20 ships of military equipment
244 US transport planes and 20 ships have delivered over 10,000 tons of armaments and military equipment to the Israeli regime since the war's onset, Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported on Monday.
The Ministry of Security has additionally made approximately 40 billion shekels (nearly $2.8 billion) in extra purchases from the US. All of "Israel's" military industry production lines are reportedly operating continuously.
The information follows a questionable statement issued by Likud MK Tally Gotliv, that the quantity of artillery shelling in southern Gaza has significantly decreased over the past three weeks.
The TV report further touches on assertions that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) are involved in what is termed "armament economics." In essence, this suggests that there is a strategic effort to conserve ammunition to prevent shortages.
The report notes that there has not been a single instance since the beginning of the war where the Air Force refrained from striking or ground forces refrained from firing due to an ammunition shortage.
On December 6, the Ministry of Security publicly announced the arrival of the 200th US cargo plane transporting military equipment for the [IOF].
"The significant delivery marks the culmination of a joint effort led by the Ministry of Defense’s US Procurement Mission, in collaboration with the IMOD Directorate of Production and Procurement, the [IOF] Planning Division, and the [IOF] Technology and Logistics Division," it said at the time.
Ukraine, 'Israel' strain US military-industrial complex
This announcement follows Austin's recent trip to Kiev, where he pledged a new $100 million assistance package to Ukraine, including artillery shells of various calibers. However, concerns have been raised about a reported decrease in the flow of US-made artillery ammunition to Ukraine, with competition for munitions intensifying, particularly for NATO's standard 155 mm caliber shells.
The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has reportedly eaten into the Ukrainian share of 155 mm, as the Israeli occupation forces relentlessly bomb residential areas all over the Gaza Strip, a tactic that has been deployed for more around 60 days. According to Russia Today, the flow of US-made artillery ammunition to Ukraine has decreased by more than 30%.
The strain on the US military-industrial complex has become increasingly evident, exacerbated by the Biden administration's involvement in expanding the conflict in Ukraine and continued support for Israeli war crimes in occupied Palestine. The Biden administration has also actively sought to limit the scope of confrontations in the Middle East, as an expansion of the conflict in the region would further compromise its ability to maintain its interests worldwide.
