Poland’s biggest state-owned defence firm Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) has picked UK defence prime BAE Systems as a partner to ramp up its munitions production.
Work on a new 155mm artillery ammunition factory in Poland will begin this year and the facility is expected to be completed by 2028 at the latest.
Headquartered in Radom, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) is Poland’s biggest state-owned defence firm and a major arms manufacturer in Europe. Established in 2013, it acts as a holding company for over 50 subsidiaries that produce a wide range of defence systems and equipment.
It produces various armoured vehicles, including wheeled transporters and heavy infantry fighting vehicles; artillery and missile systems, both barrel-artillery and man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS); medium-range air-defence systems; a variety of uncrewed systems; firearms; and naval vessels.
As per a BAE Systems press statement, the new Polish facility will exploit the Britih firm’s manufacturing expertise via the same automated technology set to deliver a 16-fold increase in production capacity of 155mm artillery shells at its U.K. bases.
It noted: “This partnership will increase PGZ and Poland’s ability to strengthen the nation’s indigenous supply chain, reducing dependency on overseas suppliers and creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs in Poland.”
U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey dubbed the news “a vote of confidence in British industry.”
BAE Systems Chief Executive Charles Woodburn said: “Transferring technology and learning will enable Poland to significantly expand its production capacity of critical 155mm munitions, helping to strengthen its industrial base and supply chain resilience in the face of an increasingly volatile security environment.
“This is not only important for Poland’s own national defence but will also help to enhance its contribution to securing NATO’s eastern flank.”
Adam Leszkiewicz, President of the Management Board of PGZ, observed: “This is currently the most important decision for the security of Polish and the development of the PGZ Group. We are building production sovereignty,”
PGZ’s aim is to ramp up its production capacity to between 150,000–180,000 large-calibre shells annually; 155mm shells are fired by the nation’s K9 and Krab self-propelled howitzers.
- You can read more details on the BAE Systems website
