Tory demands urgent action as production of vital ammunition to take two years

A senior Tory MP has called for swifter action after it emerged the ramping up of ammunition production will take until 2025.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month confirmed an eight-fold increase in the UK’s production capacity of 155mm artillery shells to replenish stockpiles, which have been depleted while supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

In an answer to a written parliamentary question, defence procurement minister James Cartlidge said the boost will be available from 2025.

He said: “The Ministry of Defence has placed an order with BAE Systems to increase 155mm shells stockpile for the British Army.

“The announced eight-fold increase in production capability will be available from 2025.”

But former armed forces minister Mark Francois urged the Ministry of Defence to use the Urgent Capability Requirement system to accelerate the process.

The Conservative MP, who is a member of the Commons Defence Committee, told the Express: “The new ammo contract is both welcome and needed but the risk is it will still take too long.

“The MoD should declare this an Urgent Capability Requirement, or UCR, which is a special procedure to materially speed up the purchase of operationally vital equipment or supplies, for which artillery ammunition now clearly qualifies, in light of the Ukrainian war.”

It comes after MPs on the cross-party committee earlier this year warned that the UK and NATO allies had allowed ammunition reserves to fall to “dangerously low levels” amid the war in Ukraine.

A report published in April said: “It is clear that the UK and its NATO allies have allowed ammunition stockpiles to dwindle to dangerously low levels.

“Whilst Russia is also facing the diminution of its stockpiles, other adversaries are able to maintain and potentially increase their own.

“This inability to replenish UK stockpiles therefore puts at risk not just our ability to resupply Ukraine, but also to counter any threat to our own security.”

The MoD was contacted for comment.

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