WARSAW, Poland — Polish lawmakers have voted to allocate some 3 billion złoty ($740 million) for investments in ramping up the country’s ammunition production capacities, with a particular focus on much-needed 155mm artillery shells.
The decision to approve the bill was made by the Sejm, the lower chamber of the Polish parliament, on Nov. 27 by a majority of 424 votes, with no lawmakers voting against the measure. Following this, the legislation needs to be approved by the senate, the upper chamber, and signed by the president to enter into force.
The allocated funds “will be used to capitalize companies responsible for producing ammunition, in particular artillery ammunition of caliber 155mm,” Polish Deputy State Assets Minister Marcin Kulasek said in a social media post.
The funds will be made available for investments by companies that seek the state’s backing for their projects to ramp up ammunition manufacturing capabilities. The program will be financed by the Ministry of National Defence and government securities.
The latest development comes as Warsaw is exploring various means of drastically increasing industry capacity for making artillery shells. As the predominantly state-owned sector relies on imported components to manufacture 155mm ammunition, officials are looking at ways to secure the necessary manufacturing technology from foreign partners.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz recently stated that Poland aims to cooperate with Slovakia to secure the necessary technology that will allow the country to boost production. Kosiniak-Kamysz declared willingness to bolster Warsaw’s partnership with Bratislava during the minister’s Nov. 22 meeting with his Slovak counterpart, Robert Kaliňák.
“I’m greatly impressed by Slovakia’s production capacities in the field of ammunition, in particular the 155mm one, but also other types,” Kosiniak-Kamysz told his counterpart. “We want to develop our defense industry together with you.”
The Polish military requires increasing 155mm ammunition deliveries for its growing fleet of K9 Thunder and Krab self-propelled howitzers, manufactured by South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace and Poland’s state-run defense group PGZ, respectively.
Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.
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