Poland to Increase Artillery Shell Output Fivefold

That major expansion will concentrate on crucial munitions, such as 155-millimeter shells for howitzers, and 120-millimeter tank rounds. The whole production process will be carried out in Poland reducing dependence on foreign accessories.

Goal Aims to Guard Against 'Threatening Russia' Jakub Jaworowski, the minister of state assets, said the goal was to build up independent domestic capacity and to ensure "Polish independence from foreign supplies and create a sustainable and self-sufficient base for defence," a position strongly supported by the Poland defence minister.

Shift toward domestic defence production
While Poland already spends nearly 4.7% of its GDP on defence, the biggest percentage of any country in NATO, much of that historically has been used to purchase foreign arms, especially from the U.S. and South Korea. The new tack is under Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government, which is aimed at reinforcing home-grown defence systems.

The move is in line with broader EU efforts to bolster its own arms production at home in the face of increasing security threats and supply chain vulnerabilities, driven in large part by the war in eastern Ukraine that has continued to shape defence policy across the continent.

Although military spending is high, Poland has long had issues with stockpiles of ammunition. The National Security Bureau said in April that the current stocks would last just one to two weeks in time of war. At the same time, the chairman of PGZ resigned after only a year, according to people familiar with the move who said he was frustrated with the slow pace of advancement.

Missile, medevac vehicle contracts inked
Poland also signed new defence contracts on Monday, including orders for artillery production. These consist of 24 AIM-9L air-to-air missiles for the FA-50 light combat aircraft and 12 armoured medevac vehicles built on the domestically developed Rosomak chassis.

"The aircraft FA-50 is finally armed — ready not only for training but also combat operations," said Defense Minister WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Kosiniak-Kamysz. He also faults the previous government for buying the jets before verifying that they were ready for active use. The current administration has since finished certification and added the jets to active training programs.