The U.S. Army is seeking new manufacturers to build 155mm howitzer barrels, according to a Sources Sought notice published Oct. 22, 2026. The notice asks contractors to estimate their capacity to produce barrels within 18 months and up to 10 barrels per month within 36 months. Companies must respond by Nov. 23.
The notice asks for details on a company’s ability—or its subcontractor’s capacity—to add chrome bore coatings to steel tubes up to 30 feet long and up to 7,500 pounds in weight, as well as maximum length and weight of tube they could coat. It also requests information on boring, milling and rifling capabilities, and raw materials such as steel preform production, forging, guide bore and heat treatment. Contractors should also provide a cost estimate for an initial production quantity of 40 cannon tubes, broken down by caliber or indicating pricing for a combined or flexible mix.
Currently, the Army makes large-caliber barrels for howitzers and tanks only at the aging Watervliet Arsenal in New York. The Pentagon has expressed concern that this sole plant cannot keep up with increased demand for artillery. A 2024 Pentagon budget document stated that Ukraine’s heavy use of M777 howitzers created a demand for more than 30 M776 tubes per month, and admitted that Watervliet could not keep up with that demand.
The Army’s search for new barrel manufacturers comes as the U.S. and Europe have focused on expanding howitzer ammunition production to meet demand in the Ukraine war and replenish domestic stockpiles. The lack of manufacturing capacity to replace worn-out cannon barrels is a separate bottleneck.
Sources: DVIDS News · DVIDS News