WSJ: Cotton shortage slows NATO ammunition production

A shortage of cotton, a vital raw material used in the production of propellants, is hampering NATO's efforts to expand ammunition output as the alliance seeks to replenish stockpiles amid rising security challenges, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

According to the newspaper, nitrocellulose, also known as guncotton, is an indispensable component in virtually all modern ammunition because of its highly flammable properties when treated with acid. It is traditionally produced from cotton linters — the short fibres left on cotton seeds after the longer fibres have been removed.

The report said modern warfare continues to rely heavily on explosives derived from the same crop used to manufacture everyday products such as clothing and bed linen, making cotton a strategically important resource for the defence industry.

"The limited supply is one of the biggest challenges facing NATO as it seeks to rebuild ammunition stockpiles to counter the growing military capabilities of Russia and China," the newspaper said.

In the United States, where most cotton linters are sourced domestically, efforts are under way to significantly expand production and increase processing capacity for converting the material into nitrocellulose.

European countries, meanwhile, have long depended on China for cotton linters and nitrocellulose after cotton cultivation largely disappeared from the continent centuries ago. Governments are now looking to boost domestic production while exploring alternative natural feedstocks for manufacturing the compound.

The WSJ added that expanding nitrocellulose production is more difficult than increasing the output of steel warheads or tanks. It also noted that TNT, another key explosive used in artillery shells, remains in short supply, with only one production facility currently operating in Europe, located in Poland.