US Must Produce More Chemicals, Other Materials To Expand Munitions Supply - Trump

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2019) The US government must become directly involved to ensure the adequate production of chemicals needed in sufficient quantities in munitions, President Donald Trump announced in a memorandum.

"By the authority vested in me as President..., including section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950..., I hereby determine... that the domestic capability for advanced manufacturing techniques for the production of chemicals in munitions is essential to the national defense," Trump said on Wednesday.

Trump issued similar declarations, also on Wednesday, to ensure production capabilities for energetic, precursor and inert materials for munitions essential to the national defense.

The US president took the actions under a program announced in October to launch the most ambitious defense industry expansion program in 65 years to address some 300 vulnerabilities in crucial weapons systems such as rocket motors, armor and radar.

Crucial areas where the US armed forces remain dependent on single suppliers included ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) used in rocket solid fuel, propeller shafts for large warships and gun barrels for heavy artillery, US senior officials said when unveiling the program in October.

The United States has become excessively dependent on China for ceramics used in body armor; titanium, beryllium, tungsten and rare earth elements used in explosives and propellants; as well as other crucial items, officials said at the time.