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Why supplying ammunition to Ukraine just got more complicated

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has clearly shown that ammunition, especially artillery rounds, is being used in huge quantities by both sides and, for Kyiv at least, replacing consumed stocks is not that simple.

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The main artillery systems used by Ukraine, both towed and self-propelled (SP), are of Russian 122mm and 152mm calibre.

Ukraine had a well-established capability for design, development and production of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) but its artillery was only what the country retained following the dissolution of the USSR.

These industrial facilities, as well as probably much of the capability for ammunition production, have been destroyed or damaged and today Ukraine is very much relying on other countries to keep it supplied with ammunition.

It is also using increasing numbers of tube artillery systems supplied by NATO and other countries, including: BAE Systems M777 155mm/39cal (towed); BAE Systems M109A6 and older M109A5 155mm/39cal (SP); KMW PzH 2000 155mm (SP); and Nexter CAESAR 155mm/52cal (SP) systems as well as 105mm towed artillery from the UK and US.

In future yet more types of SP artillery system will be introduced, including: British 155mm/52cal AS90s; German KMW Remote Controlled Howitzers (RCH 155s) on a Boxer 8x8 platform; Nexter CAESAR 155 mm/52cal on Tatra chassis (8x8); and BAE Systems Bofors Archer 155mm/52cal (6x6) systems on a Volvo chassis.

Most are 155mm calibre with a few firing 105mm ammunition, but each of these rounds contains a number of distinct parts.

These include projectile, high-explosive (HE) content, nose-mounted fuze, propellant and primer, with some natures also having rocket assist (RA) or base bleed (BB) attachments for longer range.

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The number of contractors capable of producing ammunition in Europe has already seen a significant reduction, mainly due to the downsizing of most European armies after the end of the Cold War and the increasing use of simulators to save on ammunition costs.

Ukraine has already received large quantities of 155mm rounds together with the firing platforms mentioned above, with these being taken from NATO reserves or some members’ own stocks in Europe and elsewhere.

European contractors are now ramping up ammunition production, mainly 155mm, not only to replace national reserves but also to keep supplies moving to Ukraine.

This takes time as there are often long delays in supplying raw materials used in ammunition production and once a large-calibre line has closed it takes time re-open and re-qualify.

Above: A robotic machine installed at BAE Systems’ Washington facility carrying out final machining on a 105mm artillery projectile. (Photo: BAE Systems)

In addition to conventional natures of ammunition there are also a number of more specialised types, some of which have already been supplied to the Ukraine.

These include the Raytheon Excalibur 155mm M982 Precision-Guided Munition (PGM), GiWS SMArt 155mm DM702 and BAE Systems Bofors/Nexter 155mm Bonus.

The latter two carry sub-munitions which are designed to attack the vulnerable upper surfaces of an AFV, especially high-value targets such as main battle tanks (MBTs).

While the M982 and Bonus are still in production, deliveries of the German SMArt round were completed some time ago, although a new line will be established in future once re-qualification has taken place.

Above: The German DM702 carries two sub-munitions that are designed to penetrate the vulnerable upper surfaces of AFVs. (Photo: GiWS)

As well as producing the ammunition it must be packaged and sent via a third party to Ukraine and onto the front line where it is needed.

Kyiv has also been supplied with Lockheed Martin M270 227mm (12-round) tracked Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) 227mm (6-round) based an Oshkosh Defense truck (6x6) with protected cab.

These fire a Guided MLRS rocket, for which the only source of production is in the USA.

The two main tracked IFVs used by Ukraine are the very old BMP-1 whose main armament is a 73mm 2A28 gun and the BMP-2 with a 30mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon.

Ammunition resupply here will be further complicated by the arrival of surplus AFVs from the West.

These include the Nexter AMX-10RCR (6x6) armoured car armed with 105mm gun, Rheinmetall Marder 1 IFVs with a 20mm cannon and the BAE Systems Bradley series with a 25mm M242 cannon.

On the MBT front Ukraine operates T-64, T-72 and T-80 tanks, with some upgraded locally, especially in the key areas of firepower and survivability with the latter including explosive-reactive armour (ERA).

All of these use separate-loading 125mm ammunition (projectile and charge) and some have the capability to fire a laser-guided projectile to enable targets to be engaged out to 5,000m which is beyond the range of the main armament.

Above: The 125mm smoothbore gun installed in Russian MBTs fires separate-loading ammunition including APFSDS (second from left) and HEAT (forth from left) with the charge to the right. (Photo: author)

Ukraine is also to get Challenger 2 MBTs from the UK which use separate-loading ammunition with the main war shot being of the depleted uranium (DU) type which is never fired in peacetime. These will be followed by Leopard 2 and M1A1 Abrams tanks after a recent donation bonanza in January.

Above: Ammunition for the Leopard 2 from Rheinmetall includes APFSDS DM63A1 (left), HE-FRAG-T programmable DM11 (middle) and practice DM78A1 (right). (Photo: author)

The complications relating to training, maintenance and support of foreign AFVs and artillery systems deployed by Ukraine as well as keeping them supplied with different calibres and natures of ammunition should not be underestimated as the conflict continues to evolve and a seemingly endless variety of weapon systems head east to bolster Kyiv’s forces.

NAMMO MAC aims advanced .50cal rounds at international markets

US company NAMMO MAC has confirmed it has now delivered over one million rounds of its latest .50cal polymer-cased ammunition which is now going through Limited User Testing in the US.

Above: NAMMO MAC’s .50cal ammunition clearly showing the polymer case element in the middle. (Photo: NAMMO MAC)

While the US Marine Corps and Army Special Operations Command have so far been the major customers, it is understood a number of other countries have taken deliveries of smaller quantities for evaluation purposes including France, Poland and the UK.

The .50cal polymer round consists of a conventional projectile, short conventional brass head and polymer case body in the middle that contains the propellant.

Rather than conventional steel links a polymer element is used and according to NAMMO MAC this enables a weight reduction of 20-30% (which depends on ammunition nature and packing).

Ballistic characteristics are the same as the standard .50cal rounds used worldwide in air, ground and vehicle-based applications and the ammunition meets all performance requirements of MIL-STD-10196F.

The round can be fired from a range of machine guns and rifles including the still widely deployed M2HB (Heavy Barrel) and vehicle-mounted weapons.

The first nature to enter production was the MK323 ball and under trials are the MK342 armour piercing incendiary (API) and MK343 armour piercing incendiary – tracer (API-T). These will be followed by multi-purpose (MP) and reduced range (RR) rounds.

In addition to the weight saving by using polymer-cased ammunition and links, a polymer ammunition box is in development.

Even using metal ammunition boxes, a standard pallet of the polymer-cased ammunition weighs 348kg less than a standard pallet of brass-cased rounds.

Development was originally started by MAC but NAMMO rapidly increased its shareholding and acquired control late in 2020, with the business subsequently becoming NAMMO MAC.

While the .50cal polymer-cased ammunition is usually fired by the M2HB, it has also been shown alongside the new Dillon Aero 503D three-barrel Gatling gun.

The weapon weighs only 41kg and has a cyclic rate of fire of up to 1,500 rounds per minute with the ability to adjust the precise rate on platform integration. In addition ‘the technology used within the gun system provides operators with detailed information of weapon operation as well as maintenance data for possible failure prevention’ according to the manufacturer.

NAMMO is still marketing standard 12.7x99mm ammunition of a wide range of natures, and was recently awarded a seven-year sole-source contract from the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) for .50cal rounds that runs through to 2029 with a total potential value of SKr500 million.

Northrop Grumman adds lethality to US vehicles with Chain Gun ramp-up

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems will complete deliveries of its next batch of 30mm XM813 Bushmaster dual-feed Chain Guns to Oshkosh Defense in February 2023.

Above: A Northrop Grumman 30mm XM913 installed in a Kongsberg Medium Calibre Remote Controlled Turret for the Striker Lethality Upgrade Program. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)

These are for installation on 93 Stryker 8x8 vehicles for the Lethality Upgrade Program (LUP) on which Oshkosh is prime contractor.

The first production application for the XM813 is the Kongsberg Medium Calibre Remote Controlled Turret (MC-RCT) installed on the General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) XM1296 as the heart of the original Stryker LUP.

For this the company supplied 95 30mm XM813 weapons with the first 12 for the Engineering, Manufacturing & Development (EMD) phase and remainder as production weapons which were delivered in 2017/2018.

GDLS supplied the first batch of 93 XM1126 Strykers under an Urgent Needs Requirement (UNR) for deployment by the US Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment based in Germany.

MC-RCT is also armed with a 7.62mm machine gun (MG) and banks of electrically operated grenade launchers.

Following a competition, Oshkosh Defense was awarded a contract in June 2021 for the first batch of Stryker Double-V Hull Infantry Carrier Vehicles with first seven examples now at Aberdeen Proving Ground for Production Vehicle Testing (PVT).

A second contract was awarded in July 2022 for an additional 95 units which brings the total to 269 upgraded vehicles for three Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs) plus an additional 20 for PVT and Follow-on Operational Testing and Evaluation (FOT&E).

The 30mm XM813 barrel is heavier than the current 30mm MK44 for export and is chrome lined, fitted with a muzzle brake and a new dual recoil system.

This is fed by a Meggitt linkless ammunition feed system and in addition to firing standard natures of 30x173mm ammunition (including high-explosive incendiary (HE-I), high-explosive incendiary – tracer (HEI-T), high-explosive incendiary – tracer – self-destruct (HEI-T/SD) and associated training natures, it can also use the Northrop Grumman 30mm MK310 Programmable Air-Burst Munition – Traced (PABM-T).

Features of the latter include an aluminium cartridge case, single base propellant and Northrop Grumman turns/time fuze with three options, air-burst (AB), point detonate (PD) and PD with delay fuze setting.

The weapons are provided as government-furnished equipment (GFE) to Oshkosh Defense.

Above: The latest Northrop Grumman ‘Chain Gun’ is the 50mm XM913 shown at the bottom complete with three natures of ammunition. (Photo: author)

Northrop Grumman has confirmed that it is already working on new capabilities for 30mm and 57mm (naval) calibres which have the capability to adjust the round in flight for greater terminal accuracy, with initial firings already completed.

The company is also building an additional nine 50mm XM913 Chain Guns for delivery in 2023 to the contenders for the US Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) programme which is the replacement for the currently deployed Bradley M2 series IFV. 

In a statement the company said: ‘We are improving the overall design for manufacturability so that when a platform is selected, we are prepared to begin building the guns at full production rate to support the vehicle building process.’

What are Germany's options for armoured vehicle procurement? 

Late February 2023 marks not only the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but also Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s responsive pledge to the German armed forces for a one-off €100 billion ($107 billion) ‘special fund’ set to reinvigorate military spending and capability. Analysis by Sam Hart

Above: A Leopard 2 attacks over open ground. Germany has more Leopard 2A7s on order, but these plans may change. (Photo: Bundeswehr)

Several big-ticket items have dominated the discourse since the announcement: F-35 jets, Chinook replacements, U12 submarines, and a speculative Leopard 2 replacement, with many seeing this as a rare opportunity for Germany to keep pace with the rest of Europe and NATO.

Whilst popular opinion has earmarked most of the funding for the German Air Force, conservative estimates suggest the army is set to receive in the region of €17 billion ($18.2 billion).

However, with reports surfacing after almost a year of conflict that not a single Euro had been spent, Defence Insight examines German funding and the projects likely to be on the horizon for a Bundeswehr hoping the appointment of a new Defence Minister brings back a fervour absent since Scholz’s original announcement.

Having announced its intention to develop a medium force, Germany is expected to order a new wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) to work alongside a growing number of Puma IFVs. Forecast to be awarded in 2023, a contract for a 6x6 APC is likely to be the first of Germany’s new land-based procurement programmes.

With demand estimated at 350 vehicles, questions surrounding the likely chosen platform have now taken centre stage. Whilst the perhaps obvious choice is Patria’s 6x6 CAVS following Germany’s entry into the joint Finnish programme after signing a statement of intent in June 2022, alternative platforms in the form of the domestically produced Rheinmetall Fuchs II or already in-service Boxer 8x8, or a smaller 6x6 version, are also expected to be considered.

As the widely-used Fuchs I enters the last two years of its expected service life, the sudden injection of €17 billion into the Bundeswehr might provide the perfect time for Germany to invest in replacing its old fleet alongside procurement of a new 6x6 APC.

With the 6x6 APC programme already valued at €1.3 billion ($1.2 billion), a second, far larger order of Fuchs IIs could be introduced, seeking to replace the 940 Fuchs I still in service and benefiting from the economic and political advantages of a shared production line.

Secondly, and unsurprisingly, tanks have become the hot topic surrounding German defence spending in 2023. Long-postponed donations of Leopard 2s to Ukraine have highlighted a shortfall in German internal capability, prompting prominent military and political figures to publicly express a requirement for replacements, a rare feat in the country’s politics.

Germany already has an active programme to upgrade 104 out-of-service Leopard 2A4 and 2A6 tanks to the 2A7V. Paired with the recent siphoning of 19 Leopard 2A6s (14 for export and 5 for contingency) from Berlin’s stocks towards Ukraine, a propensity to increase the number of German Leopard 2A7s is almost guaranteed if the promised €100 billion is made accessible.

The mass donation across Europe of Leopard 2s to Ukraine, alongside Norway's $1.9 billion order for 54 Leopard 2A7s earlier this month, has reaffirmed the Leopard 2’s European dominance as the tank of choice. As the German military looks set to receive a funding boost in 2023, Defence Insight forecasts a $3.4 billion order of 100 additional Leopard 2A7s for the Bundeswehr in 2024.

This potential order for new Leopard 2A7s is not the only option on the table for a German military seeking to improve its MBT capability in the short-to-medium term. Additional upgrade programmes for the remaining 162 older-model Leopards may be preferential due to the decreased costs and delivery times involved.

Whilst a blended approach seems likely, a third option loosely hinted at in recent months suggests the German military may instead skip the 2A7 and instead seek to introduce a 130mm smoothbore cannon, such as the one on the Panther KF51, increasing range, lethality and accuracy.

With funding on the table for the first time in decades, the future of German Leopard 2 appears guaranteed and varied over the next decade, with several options available.

However, a large proportion of any funding the Bundeswehr may receive is likely to move towards the announced but unspecified Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) programme. Representing a joint German and French project announced in 2018, the MGCS programme seeks to develop a new MBT to replace the Leopard 2.

Modelled at a programme value of $6 billion, not including development cost, and with a forecast award date at some point in the next decade, the MGCS programme will require precisely the kind of one-off ‘special fund’ being pledged by Scholz’s government to get off the ground and stay on target.

If, as estimated, 400 vehicles are set to be ordered, an early pledge to replace the current German Leopard fleet may become the directing hand in decisions regarding further acquisitions of the Leopard 2 today, allowing Germany to focus on upgrading its existing Leopard 2s to the 2A7 variant or beyond rather than buying from new.

€100 billion represents a significant boost for future German military capability. Whilst the focus is likely to remain on improvements and programmes within the air domain, an estimated €17 billion share will allow the German Army to invest in an array of much-needed programmes.

It will be interesting to see, as ever, if the necessary political backing is firmly behind the defence spending requested by the German armed forces in the run-up to the Russia-Ukraine conflict’s first anniversary.

As newly appointed Defence Minister Boris Pistorius continues to strike a more proactive tone than his predecessor, it will be up to German policy- and decision-makers to determine if Germany will finally re-enter the fold as a major military player in Europe and NATO.

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