Ukraine has reached an agreement with two leading U.S. companies to jointly produce 155mm ammunition on Ukrainian territory.

The Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kamyshin, reported on this.

The Minister noted that the implementation of these projects will take years.

“There are long-term solutions, but they are very important for us. This is the decision to produce ammunition, primarily 155 caliber. We have agreements with two leading U.S. companies on joint production of 155-caliber ammunition in Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Kamyshin.

According to the minister, the process of producing 155-caliber ammunition takes “at least two, maximum three years.”

To start such production, Ukraine needs the technologies that its partners have.

“Ukraine has never produced these calibers, you know that. Therefore, the sooner we start, the sooner we will have these solutions, and they will work for the Defense Forces,” he said.

As previously reported, the U.S. Department of Defense intends to increase the production of 155mm artillery shells by 500% over the next two years.

Growing demand from U.S. allies and a decades-long trend of consolidation in the defense sector have led to an expansion of arms production in the country.

President Joe Biden’s administration has provided Ukraine with more than $44 billion worth of weapons and related equipment and has requested additional assistance, as well as support for Israel and Taiwan.

Thus, the Army Science Board informed Congress that the defense base of the armed forces has serious weaknesses, as it may not have enough supplies for the United States itself.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the Americans were producing 15,000 155-millimeter artillery shells per month. Now the Pentagon hopes to increase production by 500% in the next two years. The cost is currently estimated at $1.5 billion.