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
Caracas: US maneuvers seek to legitimize regime change and seizure of Venezuelan oil resources.
Caracas: The announced US military deployment in the Caribbean region constitutes a policy of aggression and a threat against Venezuela.
Venezuela: We reject Trump's statements allowing US intelligence agencies to operate in Venezuela.
Palestinian media: Occupation forces storm the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli occupation forces fire on Shujaiyya neighborhood east of Gaza City.
Palestinian Prisoners' Information Office: Four of his ribs were broken
Palestinian Prisoners' Information Office: Marwan al-Barghouti lost consciousness after a brutal assault by Israeli occupation soldiers
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip have not stopped, and just a short while ago, fishermen came under fire from boats
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli occupation forces carry out a large explosion in the eastern neighborhood of the town of Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Israeli political leadership decides to open Rafah crossing “as planned” and transfer aid to Gaza Strip.

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

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Sep 2022 09:45
  • 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

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Members of the media wait for Palestinian prisoners and injured at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Rafah crossing to reopen for travelers from Gaza: Reuters

US President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office at the White House, Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

'Israel' may resume Gaza war if Hamas breaches ceasefire, Trump says

Mourners attend the funeral of slain captive Captain Daniel Peretz at Mt. Herzl military cemetery in occupied al-Quds, Wednesday, October 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam Brigades hand over all living Israeli captives

Armored vehicles drive through a street during a government-organized march in support of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US approves covert CIA action in Venezuela: Reports

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