$639M Contract: US Buys Non‑Standard 155mm Artillery Shells

The U.S. Army has placed an order for 155 mm shells that have not undergone complete testing and type classification by the U.S. Army.

The U.S. Department of War reported on this.

A $639 million contract was signed with Global Military Products Inc. It is part of the Special Ammunition and Weapons Systems (SAWS) program and is set to run through July 10, 2027.

These munitions are primarily intended for non-standard platforms, particularly 155 mm gun artillery systems operated by Eastern European countries. For that reason, they cannot be procured through the U.S. Army’s standard procedures, so the deliveries are being made under the SAWS program.

The program enables the rapid procurement and delivery of munitions and systems compatible with their Soviet/Eastern European equipment, as well as meeting special military and training needs when standard supply channels are unsuitable or too slow.

Within this program, shell production may include various types of fuzes, diverse fill characteristics, training versions, and modifications for platforms that have not undergone full type certification.

Militarnyi previously reported that in 2025, exports of military goods from the Czech Republic could reach a record CZK 100 billion ($4.87 billion).