Low artillery ammunition stockpiles threaten British Army readiness
Firing exercise with the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery. (Photo: British Army)
Low artillery ammunition reserves could be a pressing concern in the short term for the British Army, especially if it finds itself engaged in intense exchanges of fire similar to those seen in Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine, and the rate at which both combatants are expending artillery ammunition, has raised the question of whether the British Army has enough stockpiles to succeed in a high-intensity conflict.
Western news outlets have claimed that Ukrainian troops are firing between 5,000 and 6,000 rounds a day; a high total but one dwarfed by Russian forces with an estimated 50,000 rounds.
Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow in Land Warfare at the RUSI think-tank, claimed during the RUSI Land Warfare Conference on 28-29 June that the British Army would run out of artillery ammunition in two days at the Russian consumption rate, and
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Land Warfare
-
![World Defense Show 2026 to unite global and local innovation]()
World Defense Show 2026 to unite global and local innovation
Saudi Arabia’s showpiece event for the defence industry will return in 2026 as it attempts to foster global defence collaboration, promote opportunity within the Kingdom and demonstrate technological innovation from across the Middle East.
-
![Canadian Army to progress with ACSV programme in 2025]()
Canadian Army to progress with ACSV programme in 2025
The Armoured Combat Support Vehicle will also achieve several milestones in the coming years.
-
![UK commits $2 billion to Ukraine for missiles as Europe speaks up]()
UK commits $2 billion to Ukraine for missiles as Europe speaks up
The contract builds on a previous contract with Thales which was signed in September 2024 for 650 missiles. Deliveries of these began in late 2024 and the new contract ensures continued supply.
