Up to 200,000 shells per year: A new ambition for the Polish defence industry

• KNDS France offers Poland the opportunity to reach a production of 200,000 155mm shells per year, and is considering a partnership with PGZ ;

• The long-standing Franco-Polish partnership in defence enables KNDS France to propose a solution that directly benefits the local industrial ecosystem;

• The LU211, extensively combat-proven, represents the state of the art in 155mm / 52-calibre artillery ammunition.

“Together, we go further”

The instability across the European continent and the new security architecture it entails compel the EU27 to strengthen their defence industry, in a logic of strategic autonomy and reinforced intra-community partnerships. For the past three years, KNDS France has adopted a war-economy posture, notably by tripling its large-calibre munition production capacity. In this context, KNDS is ready to support Poland, which has expressed the requirement to produce up to 200,000 155mm shells per year, through a close partnership.

For this purpose, KNDS France and PGZ, together with its subsidiaries, have been engaged in discussions for the past two years to define the most relevant offer to strengthen the Polish Defence Industry and enable it to reach the country’s objectives in artillery shell production.

“Victory starts in the factory”

The KNDS France proposal has one clear objective: to enable a broad transfer of know-how to the Polish industry. The model would place PGZ and its subsidiaries (MESKO, NITRO-CHEM, DEZAMET, GAMRAT) at the heart of the offer, focusing on strengthening existing capabilities rather than proposing an ex-nihilo solution. KNDS France therefore foresees a rapid upskilling of the local industrial fabric, from staff training to the installation of additional machine tools, while ensuring immediate operational production capacity through the supply of raw materials, such as shell bodies. Poland would thus reach its full production capacity in less than three years.

The LU211: a state-of-the-art, combat-proven shell

Combat-proven in demanding theatres of operation such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, the LU211 family of shells has carried out more than 2,500 fire missions in Iraq with the highest level of incident-free firing, delivering over 15,000 rounds during Operation Chammal. In Ukraine, the high consumption of artillery shells has demonstrated the LU211’s relevance, both for its long-range accuracy and for its superior terminal effect in a high-intensity conflict environment.

Deployed on CAESAR systems in theatre since April 2022, the LU211 has proven its worth with several thousand rounds fired per gun by Ukrainian artillery crews. Adaptable to operational needs, this family of shells can be fitted with a hollow base or a base-bleed kit to extend its range. The LU211 can strike targets up to 40 km away, with the best terminal effect in its class.

The LU211 family also includes the LU214, 215, 216 and 217, providing illumination and smoke shells across different spectra. The LU211 is also qualified on K9 and KRAB howitzers, and today stands as the most advanced 155mm artillery shell available on the market.