The United States has approved a sale of M107 155mm projectiles and related equipment to Israel for an estimated cost of $147.5 million.
Here’s the notice of the possible sale from the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency:
“The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of M107 155mm projectiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $147.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
The Government of Israel has requested 155mm ancillaries (fuzes, primers, and charges) that will be added to previously implemented cases. This amendment will increase the total case value above notification thresholds and thus requires notification of the entire case. The original FMS cases, valued at $96.51 million, included four thousand seven hundred ninety-two (4,792) rounds of M107 155mm artillery ammunition (MDE); fiftytwo thousand two hundred twenty-nine (52,229) rounds of M795 155mm artillery ammunition (non-MDE); and thirty thousand (30,000) M4 propelling charges (non-MDE), along with publications; associated technical documentation; and logistics support services, which have subsequently been delivered. The new estimated total cost is $147.5 million.
The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification to Congress that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended.
The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.
Israel will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. It is incumbent on all countries to employ munitions consistent with international humanitarian law.
The 155mm artillery ammunition will be provided from U.S. Army stock. There are no offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Israel.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.”
Peanuts.
Battle of Vittorio Veneto 1st World War
From 24 to 31 October alone, the Italian artillery fired 2,446,000 shells.
Yet somehow no NATO country Sans US has more than a few tens of thousands in inventory..
Admittedly urban warfare is not an area of expertise, but believe 155 mm rounds will have limited utility in Gazan conflict at this point. However, Israel could be restocking in prep for cross-border exchanges w/ Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. 🤔
BTW, quick calc yields an approximate cost of $2682 per 155 mm round. Any thoughts re validity of cost estimate?
It’s nice that the state department puts the these rounds will be used in conjunction with international law in the statement. I was worried the Israeli government might use them to shell civilians back to the Stone Age but that little addendum has me convinced.
Maybe you should tell that to Hamas.and UN.
I think you will find they are both already aware.
Only in Arab language they tell it.
Hamas tells in Arabic that Palestinians civilians : women, children, older should shed blood to motivate the combatants…UN knows it very well and reinforces it.
Jim wrote: “”It’s nice that the state department puts the these rounds will be used in conjunction with international law in the statement. I was worried the Israeli government might use them to shell civilians back to the Stone Age but that little addendum has me convinced.”” The subject matter at hand is a inflammatory one , where misinformation is peddled in which to garner a emotive response rather than a logical one. So here is how I see the entire conflict (2 parts) So Gaza, it makes me proud to see people able to protest in the Uk regards… Read more »
Part 2: So regards that currency of rage, why wasn’t it in use when: 1) The Taliban raged across Afghasntan during the late 90s, and out of 22 Massacres carried out by the Taliban during that time (As recorded by the UN) the siege of Mazar-i-Sharif stands out were in Aug 1998 10K men, women and children were put to the sword their crime they were Shia Muslims 2) The Second Sudanese civil war (1983 to 2005) 2 million dead 3) Darfur genocide (2003- current day) between 80 to 400K dead, 3 million forced to relocate and 4000 people killed in Oct 2023… Read more »
Great post, as always.
A colleague of mine converted to Islam. Asked him about why they get so enraged about Israel and not many of the other areas where muslims die. Simple answer, it’s because they are Jewish. Anti-semitism plays a massive part in the conversion classes.
Today, as I walked to the shops, I watched two children, probably brothers from the way they interacted, the elder maybe 14 the younger 10, ripping a handful of small posters from a subway wall. The elder, when he had finished, tore the paper into pieces, which he threw to the ground and spat on, his face momentarily contorted with hatred. He then grabbed his brother and they ran off. I was curious to know what had angered the boy so much, so I went over to see if I could tell from the remnants what the posters had been… Read more »
I hate the pro Palestinian crowd, I hate Hamas and the Israeli government, but it doesn’t change the fact that civilians are being slaughtered by a “liberal” western government and they are using US weapons to do it. Look at our ROE in Syria then look at the carpet bombing in Gaza. Bomber Harris would be proud.
Jim wrote: “”but it doesn’t change the fact that civilians are being slaughtered by a “liberal” western government “” Thank you for substantiating my point about the use of emotive language, especially with the addition of the British in Syria, who primarily targeted ISIS via the use of PGMs and not civilians for that you may wish to look at Assad, Russia, Iran, Hizballah, the many terrorist groups and even Turkey , but of course all those can be placed at the back of the queue when “Britain’ can be inserted into the equation and of course the icing on the… Read more »
I’m not sure how I substantiated your point, I’m not sure what your point is.
Are you in favour of the Israeli government’s target list in Gaza then?
Anything else left for if we need it? If we can give so much away why don’t we have enough of everything else?
We can try and kill off the palistians just like Hitler tried to kill off the Jews. But this time we have joined the Nazis and will fight Russia as well.
No mi
Eh?
2.5 grand per shot! Bloody hell! No wonder the US and its arms business do all they can to ensure wars drag on with no resolution.
I wonder if the fuses listed is the M1156 Precision Guidance Kit which does to Artillery what the JDAM did for dumb bombs. I quote: The M1156 Precision Guidance Kit(PGK) is a GPS guidance kit with fuzing functions. It is adaptable to existing stockpile of M795 and M549A1 high explosive 155mm projectiles. The PGK corrects the ballistic trajectory of the projectile to reduce delivery errors and thus improves projectile accuracy. The PGK effectively reduces target delivery error of conventional artillery munitions and reduces the number of projectiles required to execute a fire mission. An early version (NA28) was fielded to… Read more »
Thanks for providing a possible rationale for at least a portion of the cost estimate. 👌😊
Not certain whether this funding would come from the baseline $3+B in military aid provided by US to Israel annually, or the proposed $14+B in the proposed defense supplemental bill being debated currently. 🤔
Coming from us stocks. Does Israel not make its own artillery shells?
What has become clear is that operating and using kit for war that depends on other nations willingness to supply it is a huge issue.
We see it with Saudi typhoon sale, Swiss ammunition etc etc.
the U.K. needs to make sure it can make the essential items needed to keep going and where foreign systems are used that enough of them are available and spares are there. General Ammunition/missiles is something that needs to be made in house.
The UK Government should not have signalled its support for Israel by projecting that country’s flag above No 10 Downing Street. We have nothing to gain from it, apart from an increased likelihood of Islamist terrorist attacks upon a vulnerable civilian population. Neither the Israelis or Palestinians have any respect for or liking of us, and we as a country have no influence upon how either of them behave, or any real understanding of their beliefs or view of the world. Unlike Great Britain, these are not countries founded upon Christian values such as reconciliation, redemption and forgiveness. Hence the… Read more »
James wrote: “”The UK Government should not have signalled its support for Israel by projecting that country’s flag above No 10 Downing Street. “” The Israeli flag was flown over 10 Downing St on the evening of the 8th of Oct in a show of solidarity for the victims of the Hamas attack the day before, the Uk did similar after 9/11, numerous attacks in France, (Nice , Paris) The attack at Brussels airport , The Ukraine flag last Feb, and many other instances, if you feel doing so opens up the Uk to acts of terrorism, might want to look… Read more »
Lest we forget, the fledgling IDF carried out a terrorist campaign in Palestine aimed at the British soldiers garrisoned there in the late 1940s. No gratitude was shown to our nation for defeating Nazi Germany, liberating the concentration camps or securing a Middle Eastern homeland to which Jewish people could emigrate. Also the European Convention on Human Rights, in order to protect citizens from mistreatment by the state. I’ll accept the Israeli flag was displayed over No 10 in order to show sympathy for those killed on 7/10, but senior political and religious figures from all sides and faiths in… Read more »
That’s an awful lot of ‘big bullets’. I wonder who Israel are going to turn on next?