Poland plans to ramp up annual production of 155mm artillery shells from about 30,000 to 180,000 by 2027 — a sixfold increase — to strengthen its defense capabilities and reduce import dependence.
The announcement came from Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a tour of the Nitro-Chem factory in Bydgoszcz, Europe’s top TNT supplier. The initiative is part of a broader Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) investment drive, which includes $31.2 million for Nitro-Chem to install advanced manufacturing lines. Tusk recalled that in 2023, production stood at only 5,000 shells per year.
With Ukraine on its eastern border, Poland views the surge in output as a strategic necessity to ensure adequate firepower for itself and allied forces amid prolonged fighting in Ukraine and ammunition shortages across Europe.
155mm Shell Significance
Standard among NATO militaries, 155mm shells deliver greater range and accuracy than Soviet-era 152mm rounds. Although not a NATO member, Ukraine extensively uses them through Western-supplied systems and munitions.
