The arsenal of democracy is running low on gunpowder

While the fallout from the war in Ukraine maintains its standing among our national headlines, there’s a critical issue that hasn’t yet reached the nightly news: in the middle of the largest land war since World War II and a substantial conflict in the Middle East, the United States is running low on modern gunpowder.

The United States has long held on to air, sea, and land superiority over our adversaries because of our arsenal, technological advancements, and the incredible achievements of our service members. However, the war in Ukraine and supply-sourcing complications have placed a significant strain on our ability to produce modern gunpowder. As a result, nitrocellulose, or “guncotton,” a key production material for modern gunpowder, is becoming increasingly scarce here at home.  

Just how concerned should we be? Amid growing conflicts abroad, the lag in supply is an alarming national security concern. Even at levels six times current production, it would take years to replenish U.S. ammunition arsenals, according to researchers. That creates real vulnerabilities in our military capabilities.

Even more concerning, China is emerging as the foremost producer of guncotton. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to a depletion of global supplies, furthering China’s production dominance. This position enables China to bolster the Russian military and ultimately advance the CCP’s long-term objectives.

According to a recent Financial Times article, Russia’s imports of nitrocellulose from China saw a substantial increase last year, jumping from $3.4 million in 2022 to $7.18 million within just the first 10 months of 2023 — a move that has undoubtedly extended Russia’s capabilities and foreshadows China’s ability to exert influence amid a conflict. 

Weaponizing economic fault lines is nothing new for China. In fact, during my time in Congress, I led the charge to expose and counter malign Chinese investments here in the United States, and for years have raised concerns about Chinese investments and influence on critical supply chains.

To address the growing threat of the supply shortage, Congress must prioritize nitrocellulose production. Thankfully, Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) had the diligence to do just that. Their now-introduced legislation, the Ammunition Supply Chain Act, is designed to identify and address faults in the gunpowder supply chain. In turn, this would enable ammo manufacturers to resolve a national issue before it becomes a national security crisis. The commonsense approach of the bill has led to broad support from across the industry, with backing from Vista Outdoor and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. 

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An old military maxim attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte holds, “One can remain 24 or, if necessary, 36 hours without eating, but one cannot remain three minutes without gunpowder.” In the age of the French empire, just as in our modern age, success on the battlefield can depend on the strength and consistency of supply lines.

While we can’t know for sure what future conflicts lie ahead, we do know what gaps exist in our supply chain capabilities today — and we can address them. Congress must back the commonsense approach of the Ammunition Supply Chain Act and enable American manufacturers to replenish our gunpowder supply to counter a growing Chinese advantage.

Robert Pittenger is a former U.S. representative for North Carolina and the founder and chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF). He served as chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, and as vice chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance.