Britain to ramp up explosives production to end reliance on US arms

Britain is reportedly ramping up its production of missiles in the UK to ensure that it is no longer reliant on the United States. BAE Systems, the UK defence company, is looking to surge production at three sites across the country to produce RDX explosives, used in 155mm rounds in Britain’s guns and other weapon systems, according to The Times.

The expansion comes at a time of political upheaval in the United States which has seen the country slap tariffs on historical allies, withhold military intelligence from Ukraine and threaten a NATO ally, Denmark, with military action. The early policy decision of the new US administration has forced European nations to face the hard reality that the United States can no longer be relied upon to underpin the continent’s security. Earlier this year, Defence Secretary John Healey said the defence industry "is the foundation of our ability to fight and win on the battlefield".

He added: "Strengthening homegrown artillery production is an important step in learning the lessons from Ukraine, boosting our industrial resilience and making defence an engine for growth."

Last month, senior figures in the UK defence industry told the Daily Express that they are ready and able to "step up" and provide the UK with homegrown, organic resilience.

They said: "The war in Ukraine shone a light on the UK supply chain.

"Suddenly, several things became problematic, and some of the equipment the UK would have wanted to send to Ukraine needed the agreement of countries who had supplied parts or software for that equipment. Suddenly, their freedom of action became less clear."

They added: "The UK buys in a number of munitions from its allies which is fine, but when demand surges and they need more, they can find themselves in a queue.

"Sovereignty is important, freedom of action is important, meaning no other country’s approval is required when immediate action is needed."

Such is the extent of BAE Systems surge in missile production that by the summer, they will have increased their production of 155mm shells sixteen-fold in two years to meet demand.

The company is hopeful that it will be able to produce weapons that have no US components or material to ensure that they are not beholden on Washington for permission in how or where they are used.

Francis Tusa, a defence analyst briefed on BAE’s plans told The Times: "If you don’t have the ammunition, you can’t fight.

"This announcement shows someone has woken up to the fact that in times of stress the open market for ammunition disappears and having your own plants and ability to create raw explosives and propellant isn’t just a nice thing to have, it is a must have."

155mm are currently used by British artillery regiments in the AS-90 and Archer weapon systems, but large amounts have been donated to Ukraine, leaving stock levels perilously low.