US defense industry strained by Ukraine weapons deliveries – By Jordan Williams (The Hill) / May 4, 2022
As the U.S. gives away billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine, it is putting stress on defense contractors as the Pentagon looks to backfill the military’s supply of weapons.
President Biden’s trip to a Lockheed Martin facility in Troy, Ala. on Tuesday highlighted a bipartisan sentiment that making sure the U.S. can maintain its own supplies is as important as ensuring Ukraine can defend itself against Russia’s war.
But replenishing Washington’s stockpile of weapons will be an uphill battle, as experts warn the defense industry is not primed for a wartime surge in production.
The U.S. has sent $4.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration. Of this, the administration has used presidential drawdown authority to provide $3.4 billion in weapons from the Pentagon’s stockpile since September 2021.
