US Army Ammunition Plant Increases Production of Artillery Shells for Ukraine

SCRANTON, Pa. — A Pennsylvania munitions plant that makes an artillery shell critical to Ukraine's fight against Russia has successfully increased production by 50 percent to meet growing demand, with additional capacity expected to come online.

Government officials revealed the production increase this week as they showcased an ongoing $400 million upgrade of the historic plant.

The Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton cuts and forges 2,000-pound steel bars into 155mm howitzer shells that are then shipped to Iowa to be filled with explosives and fitted with detonators. From there, many of them are sent to fight in Ukraine, where they are highly sought after.

The Scranton plant, along with two other ammunition plants in nearby Wilkes-Barre, recently increased production from 24,000 to 36,000 rounds a month. Three new production lines are under development that will allow the Scranton plant to produce even more critical ammunition, the plant's general manager said.

Right now, we're focused on 155. That's about all we're focused on, Richard Hansen, the Army commander's representative at the plant, said Tuesday while giving the media a tour of the plant's sprawling grounds near downtown Scranton.

We are working very hard to ensure that we meet the goal set by the Pentagon.

Richard Hansen, the Army commander's representative at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, leans on a screen during a tour of the plant Tuesday. (Matt Slocum/AP)

According to government figures, the United States has sent more than 3 million 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022. Earlier this month, the White House announced an additional $125 million in weapons to help Ukraine in its military operations against Russia, including 155mm shells.

The Scranton plant began life as a locomotive repair shop in the early 20th century before the Army bought it and converted it into a large-caliber artillery production facility for the Korean War. It has been operated by General Dynamics since 2006 under contract to the U.S. government, which owns the plant.

Officials are halfway through one of the largest modernization projects in the plant's history, with about two dozen projects underway. Tuesday's tour included a new production line with a sleek new machine that will do the work of three, helping maximize space utilization in the 500,000-square-foot plant.

The plant employs about 300 people, according to a General Dynamics spokesman. Some of them have worked there for decades, operating the equipment that cuts steel, heats it to 900 degrees Celsius, and forges, machines, washes and paints the finished cases. Each cartridge is inspected by hand at every step to ensure it meets specifications.

“We want it to go where we point it,” Hansen said. “We want it to go as far as we want it to go to do its job. Lives depend on it, the lives of fire crews, the lives of innocent civilians depend on this projectile to do exactly what we want it to do on the ground.”

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