Pentagon, industry expand munitions production and onshore critical inputs

Pentagon and Army officials told the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oct. 11, 2025, that they are accelerating U.S. munitions production and investing to onshore critical inputs after years of reduced capacity and depleted inventories.

The effort targets conventional munitions, propellants and components the services now lack in peacetime stockpiles. Marani, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, and Major General Ream, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition and Commanding General at Picatinny Arsenal, described a mix of near-term international sourcing and domestic investments to increase surge capacity and modernize facilities.

Why it matters: Committee members said recent conflicts demonstrated that munitions can be consumed “at rates far beyond peacetime forecast,” and replenishing inventories quickly is essential to deterrence. Lawmakers pressed officials on how long it will take to restore capacity, and witnesses described multiyear investments already under way.

Officials gave several measures of progress and ongoing constraints. Ream said the Army has invested $4.9 billion in the last two fiscal years to build new production lines and add capacity across the country. He gave 155mm artillery production as an example: facilities producing roughly 14,000 rounds per month in 2022 have more than doubled output and are expected to reach 100,000 per month as new facilities come online. Marani said DPA Title 3 funds have supported projects to establish or expand domestic sources for components such as antimony sulfide and specialty steel, citing more than $370 million in DPA Title 3 investments for antimony sulfide and $1.9 billion for industrial expansion tied to 155mm production.

Officials described a layered approach: qualify additional international suppliers where needed, use Composition B (a 60% RDX/40% TNT mix) to extend TNT supplies, and use DPA Title 3 and industrial-base programs to reestablish domestic production. Ream said the U.S. had ceased domestic TNT production in 1986 and that current work to restore capability is intended to reduce dependence on single foreign sources.

Brig. Gen. Duncan, commanding Joint Munitions Command (JMC) at Rock Island Arsenal, said government-owned and -operated installations “demonstrated extraordinary endurance, adaptability, and logistics strength” during recent surge demands. Officials also pointed to new rail yards and infrastructure upgrades at facilities such as Crane, Indiana, to increase output.

Lawmakers pressed for timelines and cautioned that some precursor materials remain constrained. Marani said recent investments and facility expansions have yielded rapid gains — citing a jump from roughly 14,000 rounds per month to about 59,000 and continued progress toward higher targets — but also acknowledged that some elements will require years to fully normalize.

Officials credited a mix of government-owned arsenals, commercial partners and Defense Production Act investments for the progress, while noting that qualifying new suppliers and modernizing legacy plants are ongoing workstreams. Committee members asked for follow-up briefings and for agencies to provide the reports and timelines Congress required.

The hearing closed with lawmakers and witnesses agreeing to continue oversight as the Pentagon implements capacity expansions and onshoring projects.