Why the US Has Only One Factory for Cannon Barrels

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Since 2021, the US has shipped hundreds of howitzers to Ukraine. But over time, their barrels wear out. Replacing them isn’t easy, because America has just one factory that makes barrels for howitzers like the M777, and it’s more than 200 years old. To keep up with demand, the Pentagon has pledged $1.7 billion to modernize the facility, the Watervliet Arsenal in New York state. Production has already tripled over the past three years, reaching its highest level in more than four decades as the US scrambles to arm Ukraine in its war against Russia. This isn’t an isolated challenge. The US has struggled to rapidly scale up production of other critical weapons, like 155 mm artillery shells. In 2021, just one plant was manufacturing the steel casings. The US used to have hundreds of government-owned weapons facilities, but it closed many of them after World War II. Companies like Palantir have argued that the shutdowns have limited military innovation. Now, the government is spending billions to upgrade the US Army’s 23 remaining arsenals, depots, and ammunition plants. We visited America's oldest arsenal to see how it's using old and new machines to rebuild its capacity. 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - America's shrinking defense industry 03:55 - Inside the factory 07:49 - Testing the gun barrel breech block 08:42 - How soldiers train with howitzers 09:40 - Howitzers in Ukraine 11:38 - $12 billion Army storage yard 13:20 - Credits ------------------------------------------------------ #ukraine #weapons #businessinsider #bigbusiness MORE BIG BUSINESS VIDEOS: How One Tiny Country Rivals American Farming https://youtu.be/diBS0VfVcbs Meet The Teacher Who Wakes Up At 3:30 AM For His Labubu Business https://youtu.be/gzoY27hzOmU The Rise And Fall Of The American Diner https://youtu.be/VyCtgTQWe8Y Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com Business Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/businessinsider Business Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Business Insider on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessinsider Inside America's Only Giant Gun Barrel Factory Arming Ukraine | Big Business | Business Insider