The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced a partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters to expand the country’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels.
The initiative will help maintain the flow of vital equipment pouring into Ukraine, such as L119 Light Guns and the AS90 self-propelled howitzer, the MoD said.
It will also help the Ukrainian Armed Forces repair their battle-damaged equipment as quickly as possible.
AS-90 Barrels for Ukraine
A total of 32 AS-90 barrels were part of a defense aid package London announced earlier this month for Ukraine.
It also included 10 AS-90s, 90 anti-armor Brimstone missiles, and a quarter of a million rounds of 50-caliber ammunition.
“The MoD agreed to regenerate the UK’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels, working in partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters, supporting the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles; this is the first step towards UK sovereign barrel production which has been developing for 20 years,” the agency added.
Sheffield Forgemasters
Nationalized in 2021, the Sheffield Forgemasters is fully owned by the MoD.
It produces large bespoke steel castings and forgings and operates two forging presses exerting a pressure of 4,500 tons and 10,000 tons.
In March 2022, the South Yorkshire-based company ended its supply contract with Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom following the invasion of Ukraine.
“Our new government has already pledged to step up support, confirming 3 billion pounds ($3.58 billion) a year to help Ukraine and a new package of ammunition, anti-armour missiles and artillery guns,” Defence Secretary John Healey said after meeting Ukraine’s president.
“Meeting with industry leaders, I emphasized that the Government will continue to work in partnership with industry and the need to boost industrial production of vital military kit for both Ukraine and our own Armed Forces.”
