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Taxpayer-funded artillery plant made nothing
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
General Dynamics' $533 million Texas plant produced zero usable 155mm shells by March 2026.
The failure exposes defense industrial base flaws and wasted taxpayer funds.
Background
The plant was built to supply Ukraine with artillery shells amid heightened demand, but a Pentagon Inspector General report detailed by ProPublica revealed it produced no usable parts by March 2026. Six former workers said the first line was not producing as claimed, describing idle time and wasted resources.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2025Opening ceremony held for the Texas plant; two months later, CEO told investors the first line was running and producing as anticipated.
- Mar 2026Plant had produced zero usable 155mm artillery shell parts, according to the Inspector General report.
- Aug 12, 2026ProPublica published the report, revealing the failure and worker accounts.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Pentagon Inspector General report details the failure and exposes vulnerabilities in the defense industrial base.
- Workers
- Former production technician Natashia Passmore said, 'It was a waste of government money, and it was a waste of our time.'
Still unverified
The claim that the first line was 'running and producing as anticipated' was contradicted by six former workers, but this is based on their accounts and the Inspector General report.