On January 16, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv, during which he promised to deliver 150 artillery barrels as part of military aid to Ukraine, with indications that the first deliveries are expected "in the coming weeks."
Now, there are reports from the UK Ministry of Defence's procurement agency about a contract worth £61 million signed with BAE Systems and Sheffield Forgemasters specifically for the production of these barrels at facilities in Yorkshire.
Even if we consider that the announcement was made on January 22, 2025, and the actual signing of the contract may have occurred much earlier, it still indicates that the aforementioned 150 artillery barrels need to be manufactured by the British first, meaning that such assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not arrive soon.
Furthermore, it is important to note that discussions regarding the UK's intention to resume artillery barrel production began in the summer of 2024.
This suggests that six months were spent solely on preparatory measures before the actual resumption of British artillery barrel production. This is significant considering that the Armed Forces of Ukraine always need barrels "yesterday."
Additionally, a logical question arises: how long will it take the British defense industry to manufacture 150 artillery barrels in total?
Especially in light of reports that the United States has hit a limit in production capabilities, preventing the manufacture of more than 30 barrels per month for 155mm howitzers, while that is precisely the amount required by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
However, on the other hand, regardless of when the British defense industry can fulfill the task of producing 150 barrels for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it will still be an important element of support from the UK. This will enhance the survivability of AS90 self-propelled howitzers and L119 howitzers, which are actively used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.