Northrop Grumman is planning to produce medium caliber ammunition in Ukraine, a company official revealed at the Eurosatory arms show in Paris.
The project will be funded by Kyiv and expanded to larger calibers in the future, director of international business at Northrop Grumman Defense Systems Dave Bartell said.
“We’ve been working, as you know, in Ukraine to produce medium [caliber munitions]. That’s our first project that’s paid for with Ukrainian dollars,” Breaking Defense quoted Bartell as saying.
“We are looking to expand that into tank ammo, 155 mm, and others as we find innovative processes.”
Northrop produces a range of medium caliber ammunition including 20×102, 30×113, 30×173, 40×180, and 50×228 mm rounds, compatible with weapons such as the M61 Vulcan rotary cannon and the Bushmaster Chain Gun.
First US Step
The project would be the first US defense project in Ukraine.
By comparison, European defense contractors recently announced projects in Ukraine, such as Rheinmetall’s plan to open a Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle manufacturing plant and KNDS’ joint production of 155mm ammunition with Ukrainian firm KZVV.
Thus far, US defense production efforts for Ukraine have been restricted to Eastern Europe, such as a 2023 deal between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to produce Javelin anti-tank missiles in Poland.
No further details were provided by Bartell, who was speaking to the US State Department’s principal deputy assistant secretary for the bureau of political-military affairs Stanley Brown.
In his remarks, Brown talked about the US State Department’s new Ukraine Defense Enterprise Program, which will invest $2 billion in the Ukrainian defense industrial base.
