Rheinmetall plans to boost artillery shell production at its Ukrainian plant to 300,000 rounds annually.

Germany’s largest defense contractor, Rheinmetall, aims to begin producing 155-mm artillery shells at its plant in Ukraine in 2026. Initially, the project planned to produce 150,000 shells per year, but now the target is set to increase to 300,000 after a capacity-building period of one to two years.

According to the company’s CEO, Armin Papperger, the initiative originates from the Ukrainian side, which aims to reduce reliance on imported ammunition. He also noted that limited funding prevents Ukraine from considering even larger production volumes. Papperger also criticized Ukraine’s bureaucracy, which he believes is hampering the project’s progress. He notes that the construction of a plant in the German city of Unterluss and the facility in Ukraine started simultaneously, but while the German plant is already completed, the Ukrainian counterpart remains under construction.

Recently, representatives from Ukraine and Germany discussed ammunition supplies, missile defense systems, long-range weapons, Patriot air defense systems, and prospects for joint weapons production.