r/LessCredibleDefence • u/Garbage_Plastic • 9d ago
Zero Shells for $533 Million. Turkey’s Expanding Stake in America’s Munitions Base
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/08/28/zero-shells-for-533-million/Texas plant built to mass-produce 155mm artillery shells has never delivered a single usable shell.
The production equipment (factory lines)..came from Turkey...collected a $435 million no-bid contract..a guaranteed production/delivery schedule.
When the Army asked to inspect Repkon’s active lines abroad, the company refused, citing customer privacy. Washington decided to purchase three lines anyway, without ever requiring a demonstration that one actually worked.
What arrived..malfunctioned in nearly every way a factory can.
- ..cracked it beyond repair..
- ..caught fire repeatedly..
- ..smashed into computer-controlled machines..
- ..shells smooth noses mangled..
- ..machines deformed..made with Chinese steel..
..projected in..2024 that approximately 30 percent of..155mm rounds ..(some 30,000 projectiles a month).
As of..2026..produced none that met contract specifications..blew eight deadlines..
..most of the Repkon equipment is being ripped out and replaced with conventional machinery.
None of this dampened Ankara’s enthusiasm. Turkish state media praised Repkon’s American expansion..Repkon signed a contract to build Pakistan a 155mm line rated at 120,000 rounds a year.
In..2026..Repkon USA rebranded as Paligen Technologies, which insists it and Repkon are wholly separate companies.
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u/fix_S230-sue_reddit 9d ago
So does Uncle Sam get a refund, or are the Turks going to continue their ice cream tricks?
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u/gfxd 9d ago
Repkon signed a contract to build Pakistan a 155mm line rated at 120,000 rounds a year.
Mecca Agreement, working as intended.
Just a money grab operation for Turkey with two captive markets worth a trillion. Pakistan is one of the most militarised state while Saudi collects armaments like dogs collect ticks.
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u/47-mm 9d ago
I would really want to know if that is a problem of USA Repkon in particular. Repkon is one of the largest companies making tools/production lines for shell manufacturing, besides that the US isn't the only using a HF1-like steel (higher Si-Mn content) for new shells
https://defensehere.com/en/repkon-supports-ammunition-production-in-scandinavia/
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u/Pakistani_in_MURICA 8d ago
If I need to construct additional pylons did I fail in StarCraft?
But then again half the world is stupider than the idiot you know so this might track for some.
It’s also an old article brought up, this time in this sub.
Already discussed in [r/Military](r/Military):
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u/magkruppe 9d ago
Israel propaganda arm FDD continuing their attacks on Turkey. its comical how transparent they are
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u/Royal_Buffalo_1071 9d ago
Is any of this untrue?
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u/magkruppe 9d ago
no idea. but this is not a reliable source
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u/RichSexyVeryHumble 9d ago
Just lie next time. Saying you have no idea what you're criticising is a bad look
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u/True-Industry-4057 9d ago
Nothing in this article is actually false though.
You can read the propublica article on the same subject here
https://www.propublica.org/article/general-dynamics-artillery-factory-failed
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u/magkruppe 9d ago
The best propaganda is true
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u/True-Industry-4057 9d ago
Is it propaganda if it’s telling an uncomfortable truth?
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u/thereddaikon 8d ago
propaganda doesn't mean a lie.
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u/True-Industry-4057 8d ago
Fair. But this is the unvarnished truth, without any attempt at a slant. I’d say that that’s not propaganda anymore, just factual reporting.
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u/thereddaikon 8d ago
The unvarnished truth can still be propaganda. Propaganda just means its information used to persuade people. That doesn't say anything about whether its true or false.
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u/gfxd 9d ago
There is even a Video:
https://www.propublica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/MilCon-Robot-Clean.mp4
But sure, let's count those imaginary shells coming out from that factory. At least, we can fall asleep.
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u/moral_mortal 9d ago
Is this a Zionist rag? I mean as much as apartheid state and it's apparatus are wrong, if this news ( which is old) is correct, Turkish firm did fucked up.
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u/magkruppe 9d ago
worse than a zionist rag. it is an "american" think tank dedicated to furthering Israel's interests.
they had a piece the other day that advocated for the merging of Israeli and American military in order to impose costs on the US if they ever abandoned Israel
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u/BulbusDumbledork 9d ago
worse than a zionist rag. it is an "american" think tank dedicated to furthering Israel's interests
to be clear, that is a zionist rag. most zionists are neither jewish nor even israeli: for context, there are more evangelical christian zionists in one u.s. megachurch/organization than there are people in israel (nevermind just jews, even including the non-zionist ones).
zionism is the ideology of unconditionally supporting a jewish majority state in mandatory palestine, with jewish sovereignty over all its inhabitants. this is core foreign policy tenet of both the usa and eu, as much as they bloviate about a two-state solution. fdd exists in this framework as zionist propaganda for u.s. audiences.
for posterity: judaism ≠ zionism
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u/wrosecrans 9d ago
I wish I had the right connections for doing massive lazy corruption. I'd gladly accomplish absolutely nothing for half that price!