Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

West scurries to restock arms as they run out for Ukraine's sake

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Sep 2022 10:45
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Western governments are rushing to ramp up production and replenishment of weaponry after excessive supply to Ukraine drove stocks to decrease immensely.

  • x
  • US Secretary for Defense Lloyd Austin (Getty Images)
    US Secretary for Defense Lloyd Austin

In an announcement by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a meeting is set to take place this week of senior national armaments directors from allied countries to lay out long-term plans for supplying Ukraine and rebuilding their own stock of arms.

"They will discuss how our defense industrial bases can best equip Ukraine's future forces with the capabilities that they need," Austin stated at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group, which includes 50 countries in favor of flaring up the war in Ukraine.

The Pentagon's arms acquisition chief Bill LaPlante announced on Friday the date of the meeting to be on September 28 in Brussels, telling reporters that the objective is to determine "how we can continue to work together to ramp up production of key capabilities and resolve supply chain issues and increase interoperability and interchangeability of our systems."

More is never enough

At the start of the war, Ukraine's military utilized arms and ammunition that were exhausted after a few months, especially crucial artillery and missile systems, leaving Ukrainian forces to rely wholly on NATO-standard arms - many of which are ending up on the black markets.

Although NATO countries do not all have the same weapons, their arms are compatible, so ammunition manufactured in one country in the alliance can be used by another, but restocking these arms is crucial because the excessive pumping of weapons into Ukraine has diminished the large amounts of arms that the allies had kept for their own defense. A prime example would be Germany, as it is Ukraine's biggest financial and military supplier, providing Ukrainian forces with weapons its own army doesn't have, followed by the US. 

Related News

Austin to announce $500 mln in weapons to Ukraine

9/11 suspects may avoid death penalty after Court reverses Austin

The EU announced in July 500 million euros for purchases over the next two years to resupply arms provided to Kiev, with the priority focused on more anti-armor and anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as155mm artillery pieces and ammunition.

European Commissioner Thierry Breton said at the time, "This has created a de facto vulnerability that now needs to be addressed urgently."

The US, a primary arms supplier of Ukraine since the outset of the war, has already secured $15.2 billion worth of weaponry, including those compatible with NATO weaponry. Austin announced, on September 8, that US President Joe Biden had approved an extra $675 million weapons package, yet blamed Ukraine's recording through hand receipts for losing track of the shockingly excessive amount of arms supplies. 

Read more: Ukraine announces more hefty weapons shipment to be expected from US

The US has only one factory, the General Dynamics plant, in Pennsylvania that manufactures 155mm artillery rounds for Ukraine, producing only 14,000 rounds a month but LaPlante assured that the Pentagon intends to "get that in increments ultimately up to 36,000 a month in about three years."

This, however, would take annual production to just over half of what Washington has given the Ukrainians in less than six months, leading the Pentagon to urge its allies to up their own production to help refill stockpiles.

New contracts between the US military and arms manufacturers both inside and outside the US entail $364 million for 250,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition, $624 million for Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, $324 million for Javelin anti-tank missiles, and millions more for other weapons systems, ammunition, and military supplies.

Dave Butler, the spokesman for the Pentagon's joint chiefs of staff, disclosed that the decision is guided by but not entirely determined by US manufacturing capacities, adding, "Ukraine's needs for a given weapon are the ultimate driving factor."

Read more: The West arms Ukraine

  • Lloyd Austin
  • Western arms
  • Russia
  • West
  • Ukraine
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS