The UK Defence Journal has confirmed that the UK government will invest £1.5 billion to build at least six new factories for domestic artillery shell production.
These are to produce explosives and 155mm and 105mm shells, ready by 2026.
Unfortunately, global threats are growing, and in recent years ammunition stockpiles have been depleted. So the UK wants both to strengthen its national security, keep its forces prepped for battle, and maintain a credible deterrent.
The UK will also raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a further increase to 3% upon next government.
Total defense spending will reach £6 billion under the present parliamentary term.
But defence companies hope to reduce costs.
One such tactic has been devise by BAE Systems, which has employed a continuous flow process for manufacturing explosives, replacing nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, scarce components in global supply chains, with alternative materials.
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