More than 5,000 tons of U.S. Army Europe ammunition has arrived at a depot in Germany — the largest Europe-bound ammo shipment in 10 years, according to the Army.
The massive delivery comes as USAREUR is ramping up missions on the Continent, particularly along NATO’s eastern flank, in response to concerns about a more aggressive Russia.
“This critical shipment will help us to continue to enable the NATO alliance, and the fact that it’s the largest single shipment in 10 years demonstrates our continued commitment to the defense of our allies,” said Col. Matthew Redding, 21st Theater Sustainment Command chief of staff, who helped oversee the mission.
The ammunition, which required 415 shipping containers to transport overseas, will be stored at the Army’s depot in Miesau, and will be available to units operating in support of the ongoing Atlantic Resolve operation, launched in the wake of Russia’s 2014 intervention in Ukraine.
A major upcoming USAREUR exercise — Anakonda 2016 in Poland — will involve some 20,000 troops and draw heavily from the ammunition stockpile.
On Thursday, the 21st TSC, in conjunction with 598th Transportation Brigade, completed the ammo transport from the port of Nordenham in northern Germany to the Miesau depot.
Such stockpiles also enable U.S. soldiers to rapidly draw ammo for short-notice operations.