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The UK is to expand its production of explosives as its government aims to strengthen its defence resilience and reduce its reliance on imports from the US.
BAE Systems, the UK’s largest defense group, has invested £8.5 million in new manufacturing methods over the past five years to generate its own supply of cutting-edge explosives and propellants. The company previously imported RDX explosives, which were used in rounds of 155 million for British Army guns and other weapons from the US and France.
New manufacturing methods eliminate the need for nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. Nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin are the main raw materials used in ammunition and are the main raw materials for the production of energy and propellants, which have been in high demand since the war in Ukraine.
Defense contractors are struggling to expand their ammunition output due to supply chain constraints of various production volumes, including nitrocellulose, also known as “gun cotton.” Earlier this month, Germany’s Rheinmetall agreed to buy small producer propellers for ammunition, strengthening its supply chain.
“We are pleased to announce that we are a company that has a strong presence in the company,” said Steve Cardew, business development director for Maritime and Land Defense Solutions.
The new method will “help strengthen critical ammunition production to meet the increasingly uncertain world we live in and meet the growing demand,” Cardew added.
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The move comes with growing concern over Washington’s commitment to NATO’s allies under the Trump administration. BAE and the UK are able to produce ammunition that does not contain parts from the US.
According to BAE, pilots of new manufacturing technology have already demonstrated that explosives can be produced on small nodes, eliminating the need for large factories. The company plans to build shipping containers at sites across the UK to produce materials.
Bae also announced that by summer it expects production of 155mm shells over the past two years to increase production 16 times to meet demand. The 155mm ammunition was the standard for most NATO how guns (long-range guns), including the American M777 and the French Caesar, both of which were sent to Ukraine.
Bae said it has invested more than £150 million in facilities in the UK over the past three years. The company has secured a £280 million contract from the Ministry of Defense to increase production in 2023.
