Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III tasked Dr. William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, with convening National Armaments Directors (NADs) under the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG). This initiative aims to expedite capability deliveries to Ukraine by coordinating international procurement and production efforts.
The forum has met fourteen times since its inception on September 28, 2022, with the fifteenth meeting scheduled for January 10, 2025. More than 40 nations and representatives from NATO and the European Union participate actively. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Sergiy Boyev co-chairs the forum alongside Dr. LaPlante.
The group focuses on requirements-based planning for production and tangible deliveries against commitments made by UDCG members. Key efforts include mapping global production capacity, identifying constraints and mitigations, enabling equipment sustainment for Ukrainian forces, and increasing standardization opportunities.
Achievements include expanding or establishing new production capacities worldwide. The United States invested $5.5 billion to boost domestic munitions production significantly. Other countries have announced similar expansions; France and Sweden will double ammunition capacity by 2025, while Germany plans to increase artillery shell production substantially.
From 2023 to 2024, Ukraine increased its domestic ammunition production from one million rounds to 2.5 million annually. Efforts also include delivering various defense systems and integrating air-to-ground munitions donations.
International partnerships have been formed to support these initiatives. The Department of State established a team to assist Ukraine's defense industry resilience with $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing for the Ukraine Defense Enterprise Program (UDEP). Northrop Grumman signed an agreement with Ukraine to establish a medium-caliber ammunition line.
Working groups under NADs focus on innovation, production acceleration, sustainment support for weapons systems in Ukraine, and strengthening the Ukrainian industrial base.
The Innovation Working Group aims to speed up fielding capabilities by anticipating adversarial advancements. The Production Working Group accelerates critical weapons system production through co-production opportunities and funding facilitation.
Sustainment efforts address weapon system availability by supporting spare parts provisioning and maintenance training across Ukrainian industrial bases. The Industrial Base Support Working Group advances a robust Ukrainian industrial base through partnerships with international companies.
