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EU Commissioner: Europe to produce around 1.3 to 1.4 million shells by the end of 2024
[Yahoo] The European Union will be able to produce around 1.3 to 1.4 million shells by the end of 2024, and will continue to increase production “significantly” next year, said EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.“We need to make sure that most of this is coming to Ukraine, in priority, because this is where there is an urgent need,” Breton said, speaking on Jan. 19 at a press conference during a visit to Estonia. An estimated 40% of production is currently sent outside of Europe, he added. Breton said current production figures are confidential, but that the EU will be able to produce one million shells by March or April of this year, meeting a commitment set last year. In November, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reported that the EU had fallen behind schedule to meet that commitment, but that work to address issues was underway. “Europe must and will continue to support Ukraine with all its means, and especially on the military front,” Breton said. “Our security cannot depend on the election results outside of Europe,
Improving production is important not only for handling Europe’s security, but also for Europe’s competitiveness, Breton added.
Taurus Systems assures swift restocking if Ukraine to receive missiles [Yahoo] German Taurus Systems GmbH, the company that produces Taurus cruise missiles, is ready to swiftly replenish missile stocks for Ukraine, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle said on Jan. 20. The company flatly refuted German Social Democratic Party and Defense Committee MP Johannes Arlt’s claims that the German defense industry could not rapidly replenish missile stocks. "We can push forward the production of new Taurus missiles, platform integration, and the overhaul of inventory at short notice,” said Taurus Systems CEO, Joachim Knopf, according to MBDA Deutschland missile systems company on X (Twitter) on Jan. 19. “The only prerequisite is that the customer has commissioned it." MBDA, to which Taurus Systems belongs, stated in November 2023 that it was able to rapidly increase Taurus missile production and integrate new technical advances, according to DW. The German Bundestag rejected a proposal on Jan. 17 to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles. Only 178 MPs voted in favor, with 485 voting against. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, during a visit to Kyiv in November 2023, told journalists that Ukraine would not receive the missiles from his country. These delays may be attributable to the hesitance of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has expressed concern that Kyiv might use Taurus missiles to attack Russian territory. Posted by: Skidmark 2024-01-21 |
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