Katerina Schwartz18:19, 03/13/24

It is noted that the Biden Administration is seeking to create several production lines for critical weapons in allied countries, given growing competition with China and Russia.

The United States plans to open the first plant outside the United States at an Australian military base that will produce missiles that will play a decisive role in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. We are talking about GMLRS missiles , which are launched from HIMARS, writes The Wall Street Journal .

“The rapid consumption of munitions in Ukraine and the Middle East – from missiles to artillery shells – has limited the ability of the US industrial base to meet demand and replenish depleted stocks. The Biden administration is seeking to establish multiple production lines for critical weapons in allied countries, although this is not easy,” it says in the publication.

It says the attempt to build a plant in Australia “provides a glimpse into how Washington’s weapons strategy could unfold around the world, as well as the difficulties the United States and its allies face in ramping up munitions production.”

US officials say they are pleased with the pace and speed of Australia’s efforts.

“Given increasing competition, precision-guided munitions such as GMLRS and PrSM are becoming increasingly important. It is critical that we have hot production lines to deliver them at scale,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Jurgensen said.

This refers to the strategic competition of the United States with China and Russia.

The first batch of about a dozen Australian-built GMLRSs will be tested by the end of next year, Australian officials said. And by the end of the decade, Australia aims to produce thousands of missiles annually.

It is noted that the GMLRS will initially be assembled from imported components, but later Australia wants to focus on producing key missile parts domestically, including rocket engines and warheads. Also, other types of missiles besides the GMLRS may be produced at some point.

But, as the WSJ writes, finding skilled labor may be a challenge given that Australia already has a shortage of engineers. Developing new supply chains can be equally challenging, as some systems, such as rocket engines, are already experiencing shortages. Even figuring out the best way to ship missile components overseas can take practice.

“The United States and its allies need to produce as much munitions as possible, as quickly as possible. Production capacity during a conflict can also matter, which means the more production sites the better,” said former Pentagon official Zach Cooper.

(C)UNIAN 2024