Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) aims to increase production to over 200,000 units of ammunition per year from the current 30,000 to 40,000 units, confirmed PGZ President Sebastian Chwałek after discussions with the European Commission and arms manufacturers.
The PGZ president said recent events on the Ukrainian front have accelerated ammunition deliveries for 155 mm howitzers in support of Ukraine. He also highlighted the EU’s decision to provide Ukraine with approximately 1 million rounds of artillery.
The talks in Brussels focused on joint ammunition purchases, which will involve Poland’s Mesko, Dezamet, and Polish Armaments Group as well as delegations from major European ammunition manufacturers.
The conclusions of the meeting will be analyzed by EU officials, and PGZ plans to provide specific technical information on cooperation, deliveries, and deadlines in the coming days.
PGZ expects substantial orders and seeks to build a coalition to meet its commitments while prioritizing the needs of the Polish Armed Forces. PGZ’s president indicated that he is optimistic about its participation in the program.
“It seems that PGZ is a significant player in Europe and possibly worldwide,” stated Chwałek.
Alongside ammunition purchases, the EU has also emphasized the need to increase production capacities. PGZ is committed and prepared to expand Polish production capacities significantly.
The Polish government has adopted a program to increase the production and stockpiles of large-caliber ammunition for the military, which will most likely benefit Polish military plants belonging to PGZ, Dezamet, and Mesko. These companies are the only ones in Poland capable of producing this type of ammunition in the proper NATO caliber, and there are only a few others in all of Europe.
Poland does not produce all the necessary components for this type of ammunition, for example, nitrocellulose and some multi-base powders, which have to be sourced from abroad. However, according to Sebastian Chwałek, PGZ aims to fully restore nitrocellulose production capacity in Poland “through our own efforts as well as cooperation with partners.”
PGZ also plans to invest in automation, environmental protection and technologies with minimal environmental impact. “It may seem that in such a geopolitical situation, it is not as important as ammunition production itself, but we will use this moment to make technological advances,” said the president of PGZ.
The EU plans to provide Ukraine with 1 million units of artillery shells by year-end. Support for Ukraine’s ammunition stocks is facilitated by the European Defense Agency’s project on joint ammunition purchases, with the participation of 24 countries, including Poland.
