Battle Lines Nato is running out of TNT. How did we fall behind Russia and China?
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Nov 21, 2025 Joakim Sjöblom, CEO of Sweden Ballistics, discusses his ambitious plan to build a new TNT production facility in Europe, addressing the current supply crisis and the risks of dependence on a single Polish factory. Tom Cotterill, Acting defence editor, evaluates a parliamentary report highlighting the UK’s struggles with military readiness and procurement delays. The conversation reveals alarming insights on Europe’s reliance on external sources for munitions, the challenges of building new plants, and how outdated processes have left nations vulnerable in modern warfare.
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UK's Readiness Undermined By Munitions Shortage
- Britain currently fails NATO Article 3 obligations and cannot defend itself immediately.
- The shortage of TNT and munitions underpins this strategic vulnerability.
Slow Procurement And Shrinking Forces
- The Defence Committee blames a decade of neglect plus slow action under Labour for capability gaps.
- Rebuilding equipment and personnel at pace is essential to close the gap with Russia and China.
Public Unaware Of Civil Defence Risks
- Senior experts warn the public that the UK lacks robust integrated air and missile defences.
- RUSI's Peter Roberts bluntly said some citizens would die and services would fail in a major strike scenario.