Representative Michael McCaul, R-Texas, discusses the economic effects of the debt ceiling conflict as well as the future of America’s relationship with China on ‘Fox News Sunday.
A new report is sounding the alarm about the state of the US military’s key ammunition stockpiles and the industrial base’s ability to ramp up production, warning that less than a week into a possible war US forces could run out of existing supplies. Accurate munitions can burn through stores. With China on Taiwan.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a 44-page report last week, warning that, “According to a series of CSIS war games, some of the United States’ war materials such as long-range, precision – Guided Munitions – in less than a week in the Taiwan Strait conflict.” It added that the war in Ukraine “has exposed serious deficiencies in the US industrial base and serves as a stark reminder that a long-term conflict likely to be an industrial war requires
The Wall Street Journal interviewed Seth Jones, who wrote the report and is a senior vice president at CSIS, who told the outlet, “The bottom line is the defense industrial base is, in my judgment, not ready for the security environment that exists now.” Jones told the Journal that the current operating pace of the defense industry is “better suited for a calm environment” and added, “How do you effectively deter China if you don’t have sufficient stockpiles of the types of weapons you need?” Can” -Taiwan Strait kind of landscape?”
US arms sales to increase by 50% in 2022, security concerns over war in Ukraine, China’s aggression
Marines with the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division fire a practice rocket from the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) during an exercise Rolling Thunder 22-2 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on April 4, 2022. (US Marine Corps) Photo by Lance Corporal Megan Ozaki / 2nd Marine Division / Fox News)
In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” the bipartisan pair of lawmakers from key House committees discussed the CSIS report with host Shannon Bream and the state of the Pentagon’s weapons stockpiles and the ability of the defense industrial base to rapidly fill capacity. expressed concern.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told Bream he was “very” concerned about the situation and said, “Our defense industrial base is broken. I ended all foreign military arms sales three years ago.” They have yet to go into Taiwan, so we need that deterrence. But if we don’t have weapons, it’s just as important for deterrence.”
In addition to helping modernize NATO forces and providing more aid directly to Ukraine, McCaul said Congress has approved plans to replenish US stockpiles of several in-demand weapons systems in a supplemental spending package included in the omnibus appropriations bill last month. Additional funds approved for
Omnibus includes $11.9B for Pentagon to replenish weapons systems shipped to Ukraine
Marines with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines fire a shoulder-fired Javelin anti-tank missile during exercise Fuji Viper in Japan on December 15, 2022. (US Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Jaylen Davis/Third Marine Division/Fox News)
Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, agreed and told Bream that the situation was a “huge problem” and that “we don’t have an industrial base, and we don’t have the ability to grow that industrial base.” Smith clarified that the defense industry “doesn’t want to make big investments in increasing production capacity for major weapons systems without a demand signal, without knowing whether we’re going to buy them.” Don’t want to spend a lot of money on weapons we don’t need.”
“We need to increase that capability when we need it, which means we desperately need to increase our manufacturing base for major weapons systems.” Smith also stressed, “War is not inevitable. It is a very dangerous situation that we need to be prepared for, but I am confident that we can avoid that conflict if we take the right approach.” Huh.”
Military aid flow to Ukraine causes $4B backlog in Taiwan aid: report
Army paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade fire a Stinger man-portable air defense system alongside Croatian soldiers during exercise Missile Shield 22 in Croatia on April 8, 2022.
The CSIS report listed several key weapon systems flagged as being short, including the Javelin anti-armor weapon, Stinger anti-aircraft missile, 155mm howitzer, 155mm artillery round and counter-artillery radar. Weapon systems in the inventory flagged as medium include the Excalibur precision-guided 155mm artillery round, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and the Harpoon Coastal Defense System although CSIS notes that the current Harpoon inventory is insufficient for a time of war May be
Defense contractors have begun ramping up production of some of those systems recently shipped to Ukraine due to funding from the omnibus spending bill, though it will take time to reach higher production levels.
Representative Adam Smith, D-Wash., discusses various foreign policy issues and weighs in on the drama of the debt ceiling and classified documents.
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Lockheed Martin plans to expand HIMARS production from 48 systems annually to 96 systems annually after the start of 2022 and at a rate of about 60 per year by the end of last year. The Javelins are made through a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, and the companies are ramping up production of about 2,100 missiles a year to a level of 4,000 by May 2022.
Stingers present a unique challenge because the platform will be replaced later this decade and the system includes many obsolete components. Raytheon indicated last year that supply chain issues could prevent the company from ramping up production until 2023.
| anchor | Security | last | change | change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rtx | Raytheon Technologies Corporation | 99.55 | -0.70 | -0.70% |
| LMT | Lockheed Martin Corp | 459.60 | -0.21 | -0.05% |
