The Telegraph: UK defense giant BAE builds new howitzer plant to help Ukraine

Production of M777 howitzers will begin in 2025 at a newly leased Sheffield facility, marking BAE Systems' return to UK artillery manufacturing.

Nov 17, 2024 - 04:00

The Telegraph: UK defense giant BAE builds new howitzer plant to help Ukraine

The Telegraph: British defense giant BAE builds new howitzer plant to help Ukraine

BAE Systems will establish an artillery manufacturing facility in Sheffield to produce M777 howitzers, supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russia, The Telegraph reports.

As Ukraine’s artillery needs grow increasingly critical in its war against Russia, with many existing howitzers requiring repairs after nearly three years of intense combat, the new facility aims to bolster the supply of these essential weapons.

Production will commence in 2025, creating 50 skilled local jobs. BAE has leased and is currently retrofitting a pre-existing facility for secure artillery manufacturing.

“It effectively reverses the company’s decision to wind down production of the guns in the UK in early 2023. The Ukraine conflict has prompted a renewed surge of interest,” The Telegraph notes.

Ukrainian forces favor the M777 for its reliability and mobility. The howitzer’s titanium-aluminum construction keeps its weight at just 4.5 tonnes, making it exceptionally portable for artillery.

While Ukraine has received M777s from the US, Canada, and Australia, many units now require maintenance or replacement parts. BAE has secured multimillion-pound US contracts to supply these components.

“We aim to deliver long-term artillery capabilities for the UK, which will safeguard, sustain, and grow a critical, specialized British industrial capability as well as provide important opportunities for exports,” said John Borton, managing director of BAE Systems’ Weapons Systems UK business.

This development further strengthens Britain’s defense sector, which has seen increased orders amid rising global tensions and enhanced defense spending.

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