El Ministerio de defensa de RUGB ha firmado un acuerdo\u00a0por US$361 millones\u00a0con la empresa BAE Systems, para realizar inversiones que permitan incrementar dr\u00e1sticamente las capacidades de producci\u00f3n de munici\u00f3n de artiller\u00eda, en especial de 155mm y 30mm, as\u00ed como cartuchos 5.56mm para armas port\u00e1tiles. El Gobierno brit\u00e1nico fue criticado por el Comit\u00e9 de Defensa Parlamentario, por haber permitido que las existencias de material cr\u00edtico como las municiones, se redujeran a niveles tan bajos. Ese comit\u00e9 expres\u00f3 en un reciente informe, que se necesitar\u00e1 una d\u00e9cada para reconstruir los stocks de munici\u00f3n a niveles aceptables, por lo que inst\u00f3 al MoD a expandir r\u00e1pidamente las capacidades industriales en el \u00e1rea.<\/p>\n
LONDON – The U.K. is ramping up its munitions manufacturing with a deal between the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems to supply 155mm artillery shells and other ammunition.<\/p>\n
The order is worth \u00a3280 million ($361 million) initially, with options that would increase the value of the deal to more than \u00a3400 million, the MoD said in a statement July 11.<\/p>\n
BAE Systems said the deal will significantly increase production of munitions such as the 155mm , 30mm medium-caliber rounds and 5.56mm small-arms ammunition at it\u2019s facilities in the north of England and South Wales.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe production of 155mm shells is a demonstration of our commitment to invest in our armed forces and sovereign manufacturing capabilities,\u201d U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the British Government came in for criticism from the Parliamentary defence committee for allowing Britian\u2019s weapons stocks to dwindle. The committee said in its March report that it would take a decade to rebuild weapon stocks to acceptable levels and urged the MoD to rapidly expand industrial capacity to speed the rebuilding process.<\/p>\n
To date, replenishing of stocks of weapons dispatched to the Ukraine has largely centered on missiles including the anti-tank NLAW weapon.<\/p>\n
BAE said July 11 it was already investing in expanding munition capabilities in the U.K. to increase sovereign capabilities in the sector.<\/p>\n
The spending includes a new machining line for 155 mm shells, a new explosives filling factory and the restart of a 30mm manufacturing capability.<\/p>\n
No specific mention was made of the uptick in production contributing supplies of 155mm shells to Ukraine. The U.K. has previously provided quantities of ammunition, along with self-propelled guns to Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year the British Army said it was taking delivery of 14 Swedish built Archer artillery systems to fill the gap left by British supplies of its AS90 155mm weapons to the Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Next Generation Munitions<\/strong><\/p>\n The weapons are being supplied under a 15-year, \u00a32.4 billion agreement between BAE and the MoD called the Next Generation Munitions Solution.<\/p>\n NGMS came into effect in January, replacing an earlier long-term munitions supply deal.<\/p>\n CEO Charles Woodburn, said that as the MoD\u2019s long-term strategic partner for munitions supply, BAE is \u201dactively mobilising our operations in support of our NATO allies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis multi-million pound investment will enable us to significantly ramp up production and sustain vital sovereign capability to deliver cutting-edge munitions, whilst creating and sustaining highly-skilled jobs across the UK,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n