The U.S. military is seeing demand for small caliber (5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50 inch) ammunition continue to increase. Before September 11, 2001, the U.S. Department of Defense bought 350 million rounds a year. Last year, that was up to 1.2 billion rounds. Next year it will be 1.5 billion rounds, and this might reach two billion rounds a year before the war on terror is over. Up to half a billion rounds are being bought from foreign manufacturers. Most of the ammo is being used for training, and to rebuild war reserve stocks (which were allowed to run down after the end of the Cold War).