NATO needs more cotton and gunpowder, WSJ writes

NATO member states are facing a shortage of cotton, a key component needed for gunpowder production, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.

The publication notes that cotton linters — short fibers found on cotton seeds — are chemically processed into nitrocellulose, also known as guncotton. This highly flammable material is used in the production of propellants for artillery shells.

According to the newspaper, the United States is largely self-sufficient in cotton linters and plans to further expand its production capacity of guncotton. European countries, where cotton cultivation has become less common, rely on supplies of linters from China as well as imported guncotton.

However, European countries are now seeking to increase their own nitrocellulose production and are exploring possible alternatives to cotton linters.