Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said Wednesday that it might become “challenging” for the US military to continue arming itself as it continues to pour weapons into Ukraine unless the arms industry can significantly boost production.
The majority of the weapons being sent to Ukraine are used on land and come from US Army stockpiles, although the Pentagon did just announce it’s sending Ship-based Sea Sparrow missiles. But Del Toro said the Navy was still concerned about if the arms industry could meet its demands.
Del Toro was responding to a journalist who asked if the Navy was at the point where it had to choose between arming itself or Ukraine. “Yeah, that’s always a concern for us. And we monitor that very, very closely. I wouldn’t say we’re quite there yet, but if the conflict does go on for another six months, for another year, it certainly continues to stress the supply chain in ways that are challenging,” he said.
The US has already pledged over $20 billion in just military equipment alone to Ukraine since Russia invaded and is sending an enormous amount of ammunition to the country. The policy is a boon for the arms industry, and extraordinary measures are being taken to boost production, including granting the Pentagon wartime purchasing powers.
Del Toro mentioned some of the steps that were being taken to boost production that are being coordinated by Kathleen Hicks, the deputy secretary of defense. The purchasing powers granted to the Pentagon by the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act allow non-competitive, multi-year contracts for certain arms, most of which are made by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, the former employer of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
What a racket we have going…
Major General, Smedley Butler, U.S. Marines: WAR IS A RACKET
General David Shoup, U.S. Marines: I believe that if we had and would keep our dirty, bloody, dollar-soaked
fingers out of the business of these nations so full of depressed,exploited people, they will arrive at a solution of their own—and if unfortunately their revolution must be of the violent type because the”haves” refuse to share with the “have-nots” by any peaceful method, at
least what they get will be their own, and not the American style, which they don’t want and above all don’t want crammed down their throats by
Americans.[
Both men recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor
Thank you for sharing vlp1730.
Let’s just nationalize the armaments industry — oops, that didn’t work too well in WWI — War Industries Board, massive corruption, regulation made delivery too late too matter. But the nincompoops in Congress don’t know any history so they’ll probably come up with that idea and think it’s brilliant.
You made me laugh out loud Agnieszka!
I still keep wondering where all of this might lead….
Maybe unconditional surrender of one side, or years o war like in Afghanistan, or WWIII.
The most sensible and honorable way out would be a diplomacy and a negotiated ending. At this time it is out, Biden wants Putin’s head on a silver platter and the break-up of the RF.
Both, senile Biden and the clown marionet Zelensky, refuse to negotiate with Putin. Biden wants a regime change of a popular elected president of a Nuclear power with more than 160, 000 citizens.
What hubris, the delusion of Grandeur of Biden and the Kagan clan of neocons in the state department is mindboggling.
WWIII is what concerns me the most…
Maybe the Ukraine slaughter will end sooner than we expect, for the sake of all the people in Ukraine. I think all of us hope so. To think about all the young lives lost for a lost cause is so criminal and they keep repeating it. Responsible Heads of state would stop it, but there is no responsible leadership, that is the tragedy.
Biden is AWOL, got stuck in the past. He’s a figurehead.
Nowhere good, I’m afraid, Donna. 🙁
Ukrainians are only cannon fodder, for that they don’t need weapons or food. Their lives don’t count only the bucks the profiteers can make count.
Common sense and decency would have stopped the slaughter a long time ago. But the criminals in NATO only know more about war and more profit and sanctions and NOTHING about DIPLOMACY and negotiations and compromise.
It’s like the poor bastards asking themselves if they should buy food or medicine. Same thing, right?
Dave DeCamp likes to mix statements from “US officials” with his own opinion to the point the average reader is unable to segregate.
The US was able to fund multiple conflicts: Afghanistan, Syria, Irak, Philippines, as well as many other off the public view interventions.
If the US is unable to armed itself while arming Ukraine (and I think this is laughable), it is because of politics and not due to its ability to rapidly restock its arsenal.
And what conclusions do you draw from what you posted?
What is YOUR opinion?
Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Philippines and let us add Libya, what did it do for the people in the countries named and the people here at home?
All have one thing in common, minerals, the US is pumping oils in Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan has lithium resources, Russia has oil and other minerals. The big MIC and corporations are the winners even when the US is losing. Even now, the US MIC and the energy giants are creaming up the profits while the people pay the bills with blood and taxes and reduced standards of living.
And all while Ukraine and Western Europe are being thrown under the bus.
Time to talk about who really pays for wars and who really are the winners. Will they share the prey with the European corporate elite as they do with the Ukrainian neo-Nazis?
Hear hear.
Hmm. A big problem right here. All US military a tions after Vietnam were premised on air superiority over weak oponents. Following the disintegrstion of military, US forces r congregate in bases, and man checkpoints until a new government under our control takes over policing, and we take over building their millitary, arming and training.
The model did not work in Afghanistan, did not work in Iraq (Us withdrew), and the subsequent reentry to advisr in fighting ISIS did not do any better. Iraqi beat ISIS against our advice, using Shia militias in addition to Government forces. No battles were ever fought fot territorial control, which is understandable. But populace will rebel if life conditions deteriorate. Isolated in bases, US can only bomb. That gets stsle and innefective.
In Ukraine, Ukraine is going theough ammunitiin and weapons like Javelin atvavfat clip. In sux minths of war Ukraine already spent 3 years worth of production.
Sure, given time, anything can be increased. But what for? For what kind of war? Ukraine lost territory and will lose more. Can they recover it? No. If they start negotiating today would it be better or worse than puttingvit off until more land is lost. Being regions populated with Russians — even four more can go, What are we ramping up for? To fight artillery war with someone? I can only see Canada where English population lives and should Ftench give them hard time — land war isvwhat it takes, Otherwise, to hold territory with oppressed population? Again, what for?
Let’s hope that the Navy is smart enough to skim off manufactured arms meant for Ukraine for our own defensive use.
Oh, what the heck, John, let’s just let ZelBoy bleed us of ALL our weapons, since he’s convinced he’s gonna win this war any second now.
Then Amerikkka will be a sitting duck for, say, Malta.
Carlos Del Toro says the arms industry needs to significantly boost profit.
There. Fixed it for you, Mr secretary.
Man, I hope they don’t want a war to do that…
In a minute there will be an increase to the budget. Who was the
“journalist”plant who asked a question that would eventually lead to more spending?One of my bigger questions is, are we smart enough, we being humanity, to rise above the primitive instincts, of war, for example, and secure our future for peace, instead of total destruction. This is about more than our world, it is about US.
Human beings are materialistic and greedy for goods and power, that will never change. It is human, animals don’t prey on their own kind and only kill for food.
You are charmingly philosophical.
You always know the right words to say, thank you.
When time allows and if I am not being too intrusive, I would love to know the origins of your entire name. It is a beautiful name. 🙂
You are not intrusive, as little as I know the name is originally Latin, Renate is the German version , Renata Italian and Renee French. My last name is my married name and as far as the family knows it is an English name.
Donna, you have a very nice and interesting name, or is it your avatar, how does Lady Volatile sound to you? A nice conversation piece, I think.
Oh, so glad you asked, girlfriend, lol.
My original name was Donna Smith, I do not jest. Then I married my husband got Volatile and I kept it in the divorce.
🙂
A pleasure to get to know you.
Ditto that. 🙂
Both of you have lovely names! I’ve always admired them.
Gypsy is a lovely name too. 🙂
Thank you Donna!
I named myself after the most beloved being ever to grace my life: my soul cat, my familiar, Gypsy.
She had a far too abbreviated life due to a brain tumor. It’s sadly, the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I cannot wait to hold her in my arms again when it’s my turn.
Just for the record my given name is Mary Elizabeth, though I’ve gone by “Beth” my whole life.
What a sweet story and sad story….
“Navy Secretary Says Arming Both the US and Ukraine May Become ‘Challenging’ Carlos Del Toro says the arms industry needs to significantly boost production to keep up with the demands”
Russia has one of many factories capable of turning out over 80 T-90 tanks each month. A few dissimilar tanks from the West only compounds Ukraine’s problems of integration and use of tanks.
The war in Ukraine is the first industrial war in Europe since 1945. Russia did not export it’s factories to China and Asia so they can still produce weapons and all needed munitions in their own country.
Mean while, the US and Europe are finding that they cannot quickly turn up production on weapons and munitions. Many factories are not capable of ramping up production quickly and the labor pool is not readily available or skilled. Consumer goods are competing for labor and factory space.
When US supply can’t keep up with Ukrainian demand. Stupid Emerikan.