This was stated by the information director at NAMMO, Torstein Korsvold, in NRK's Political Quarter today.
Our observation is that we do not produce enough shells. We are building up now, but we have a challenge. Only Ukraine's needs are challenging, they can launch a total European annual production within a month, says Korsvold.
He calls for further investments in infrastructure and electricity, as well as for the arms industry to be given pre-emptive rights to purchase certain machines. He also wants to cut bureaucracy to do something about slow procurement processes.
It takes time to build up capacity after the long peaceful sleep of our time. It is necessary to increase capacity drastically in the coming years. We must replenish and re-equip, says Sandvik.
He points out that we are only two months into the long-term plan for the Armed Forces, where a joint Storting has decided to strengthen defense spending by 600 billion kroner ($53,6 billion) over the next twelve years.
The government is doing too little too late when it comes to support for Ukraine. We asked the first question about this in the Storting as early as June 2022. Then it took a year and a half. They have had the opportunity to step up earlier.
Minister of Defense Sandvik points out that the government has contributed to a new production line at NAMMO in Raufoss, as well as granted controversial permits to the explosives manufacturer Chemring Nobel.
He emphasizes that armaments must also be coordinated with our allies.
Now everyone is running to the store. Then prices go up. Then you can boast of spending a lot of money, while the effect is absent, says Sandvik.
When Nammo submitted its consultation response to the defense budget in 2023, they painted a gloomy picture of Europe's ability to provide sufficient defense equipment:
We are in the most demanding situation in our history. Our comment on the defense budget is mostly about what is not there, Nammo wrote in the consultation response.
This consultation statement is also intended as a clear warning to our political authorities, about a lack of preparedness. The industry has a large under-capacity, they wrote, before giving the following description of the situation.
Ukraine said in March 2023 that the country needs about 600,000 artillery shells a month. This corresponds to just over 7 million a year.
Many European countries have donated from their ammunition stocks. This has led to large replenishment needs.
NAMMO estimates that NATO's European ammunition needs are in the order of 13 million shells.
This is a conservative figure that only covers 30 days of war readiness.
The total need in Europe is therefore at least 20 million shells that the states want within a short time. Unfortunately, it is impossible for the industry to deliver this quickly.
NAMMO estimates that the total annual European production capacity is less than half a million shells, and that it would therefore take 40 years to meet what it describes as an immediate need. They referred to it as “a European defense crisis.”
Source: Borsen (In Norwegian)
Further reading:
Agreement will significantly expand production of Norwegian artillery ammunition / Government of Norway
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