Following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III directed Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) Dr. William LaPlante to regularly convene National Armaments Directors (NADs) under the auspices of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG).

Focused on accelerating capability deliveries to Ukraine by synchronizing international procurement, production, and sustainment efforts, the forum has convened twelve (12) times to date since its first meeting on September 28, 2022. More than 40 nations and representatives from NATO and the European Union actively participate. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Major General (retired) Oleksandr Serhii currently co-chairs the forum alongside USD(A&S) LaPlante.

The forum focuses on (1) requirements-based planning for production, and (2) tangible deliveries against increasing capacity and the commitments made by UDCG members to date. Major lines of effort include:

• Mapping global production capacity, and opportunities to increase throughput;
• Identifying production constraints and mitigations, including opportunities for co-production, joint ventures, and other mechanisms;
• Enabling the sustainment of equipment and reconstitution of Ukrainian forces; and
• Increasing opportunities for standardization, integration, and interchangeability.

Significant Achievements to Date

Through extensive collaboration across nations, UDCG NADs have enabled:

• Expansion of existing, or establishment of new, production capacity of critical munitions around the world.
  • The United States has invested $5.3 billion to expand domestic production capacity of the following munitions or subcomponents (NOTE: entries reflect increases from 2022 to current production rates):
    • 155mm Projectiles: 14,400 per month to 40,000 per month (178% increase)
    • 155mm Propelling Charge: 14,494 per month to 18,000 per month (24% increase)
    • GMLRS: 833 per month to 1,167 per month (40% increase)
    • Javelin: 175 per month to 200 per month (14% increase)
    • AIM-9X: 116 per month to 137 per month (18% increase)
    • PAC-3 MSE: 21 per month to 42 per month (100% increase)
    • HIMARS: 5 per month to 8 per month (60% increase)
    • M777 Tubes: 11 per month to 18 per month (64% increase)

• Examples of production expansion and munitions delivery efforts announced by UDCG members include, but are not limited to:
  • France and Sweden will double capacity of ammunition and explosives loading by 2025, double capacity of modular charges by 2026, and increase powder production capacity ten-fold by 2026.
  • Sites in Germany, Spain, Hungary, South Africa, and Australia plan to increase production up to 700,000 artillery shells and up to 10,000 tons of gunpowder per year by 2025; this includes a new gunpowder factory in Romania as part of a project developed with the European Commission and a new artillery ammunition facility in Germany.
  • Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain will co-produce up to 1,000 Patriot GEM-T missiles in Germany.
  • A consortium of 15 countries led by the Czech Republic have pledged €1.7 billion to source 500,000 artillery rounds from around the world by the end of 2024.
  • Through the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), European defense industry is expected to increase annual ammunition shell production capacity to 2 million by the end of 2025. 31 projects cover five areas: explosives, powder, shells, missiles, and testing and reconditioning certification.
  • Norway will invest more than NOK 1 billion to significantly expand artillery production for at least 15 years.
  • Nordic other participating nations are increasing ammunition production through the NORDEFCO++ initiative to support Ukraine as well as to strengthen long-term capacity to ensure regional security of supply.

• Identification of gaps and mitigations for production of propellants and explosives.
• Delivery of VAMPIRE C-UAS systems and “FrankenSAM” iTEL and BUK systems.
• Donations of trucks and gun mounts for Mobile Fire Teams (MFT) to assist Ukraine in protecting its critical national infrastructure.
• Delivery of NASAMS units and munitions, and subsequent functionality upgrades to expand interceptor options.
• Delivery of AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense.
• Integration of thousands of air-to-ground munitions donations for employment from Ukraine's current aircraft and donated F-16s.
• Coordination of initial co-development of Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM), a low-cost, long-range cruise missile for mass production.
• Facilitation of Jumpstart Foreign Military Sales cases with allies and partners to provide funding for munitions purchases in lieu of donations.
• Delivery of 90 refurbished T-72s tanks (45 Dutch and 45 U.S.), and more than 100,000 T-72 spare parts; a forthcoming jointly-funded effort will expand spares and overhaul support to all major Soviet-era armored combat platforms via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.
• Development of a common sustainment framework focusing on time-based, increased Ukrainian sustainment capability across spares, maintenance, training, and Ukrainian industrial support capacity.
• Delivery of seven commercial-grade 3D printers and consumables to the Remote Maintenance and Distribution Center-Ukraine (RDC-U).
• Establishment of tele-maintenance capabilities, and execution of an augmented reality demonstration to improve maintenance and repair training for Ukrainian personnel in the field.
• Translation of more than 1,400 technical repair and operations manuals.
• Facilitation of, and support to, partnerships with Ukrainian industry for co-production and co- sustainment activities.
  • Examples of U.S.-Ukraine industry partnerships include:
    • Northrop Grumman signed an agreement with the Government of Ukraine to provide equipment and training to establish a medium-caliber ammunition production line (July 2024).
    • Amentum signed a Memorandum of Intent to form a Joint Venture with Ukrainian Defense Industry (UDI) for cooperation in restoring and maintaining U.S.-donated armored vehicles (June 2024).
    • D&M Holding Company constructed an ammunition factory in Ukraine and are currently expanding production pursuant to agreements with the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries and key companies (October 2023).
  • Examples of international-Ukraine industry partnerships include:
    • Nammo (Norway) announced that it will license production of 155mm rounds in Ukraine (August 2024).
    • KNDS (France/Germany) is establishing a subsidiary in Ukraine to produce 155mm rounds and spare parts (June 2024).
    • Rheinmetall (Germany) signed a Letter of Intent to establish a production facility for Lynx armored vehicles in Ukraine, building upon a Joint Venture between Rheinmetall and UDI to establish a maintenance center in-country for German- donated military equipment (June 2024).

Working Groups

Efforts of the NADs under the auspices of the UDCG are organized across four Working Groups aligned to functional areas: Innovation, Production, Sustainment, and Ukraine Defense Industrial Base Support.

The intersection of the NAD Working Groups and the UDCG Capability Coalitions is complementary, not duplicative. The NADs are uniquely positioned to operationalize ministerial-level guidance produced via the Capability Coalitions by providing subject matter expertise in procurement, production, and sustainment. Specific, long-term requirements identified by Capability Coalitions will guide the NADs' deliberate prioritization and resourcing of corresponding industrial base and sustainment investments. This “require-deliver-sustain” partnership between the Capability Coalitions and NAD Working Groups closes gaps between requirements and capability deliveries, maximizes the effectiveness of investments by UDCG members while avoiding duplication of effort.