France and Australia have agreed to boost the stock of Ukrainian 155mm artillery shells, their defense ministers announced yesterday.
” Richard and I thought it might be interesting to offer our Ukrainian partners and friends a joint solution Yesterday, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Licorne, made the announcement in the presence of his Australian counterpart, Richard Marlies, and the foreign ministers of the two countries.
Pledge to support concerns significantly »Supply of 155 mm artillery shells. Replenishing the stocks of ammunition that remain, as a backup, ” The 1st Ukrainian Army asked on a daily basis He pointed out at the end of this meeting that it is the first in the 2 + 2 format since 2021 and the unfortunate episode of the AUKUS file.
Several thousand shells will be produced via ” An unprecedented partnership between Australia and France including the industrial component. It benefits from the integration of the relevant defense industries The Minister of the Armed Forces said that the French column would be led by the ammunition branch of the Nexter group.
Australian industry will provide powders, in particular, for the production of these shells .” There are unique capabilities in Australia The Australian minister explained without elaborating. The ammunition sector there is mainly dependent on Australian Munitions, a subsidiary of Thales Australia Ltd capable of producing powder propellant for 155mm rounds.
The initiative informs, according to the Australian Defense Minister, Several million dollars What to check Aid to Ukraine may be more flexible in the long run, more permanent, and that is also why we are right to put pressure on our industry. Sébastien Lecornu added. pressures borne by the minister. ” All countries face the fact that there is an arms industry that must produce faster, while controlling its costs and managing its stocks. “.
This combined effort makes it possible Group some commands ” And ” By the way, to split the bill ” everything ” By not taking stocks of our armies Selected Sebastien Lecornu. We have an important duty to respond He donned. The first deliveries are expected during the first quarter of 2023. The restrictive deadlines that the French minister wants to meet by playing, for example, ” With the various existing stocks and replenishing stocks within Nexter “.
Image credits: 55ᵉ “Sitch Zaporozhian” Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Army