Poland has restored its capacity to produce modern gunpowder, ending decades of dependency on foreign suppliers. The Mesko plant in Pionki has started serial production of propellant for 155 mm artillery shells, with the first batch already tested and certified to NATO standards. This breakthrough is a crucial step towards ammunition sovereignty, but the road to full independence remains long.
In early July 2026, Mesko announced the successful transfer of gunpowder technology from the Czech group CSG. The production line in Pionki is now operational, and the first batch of propellant passed both laboratory and field tests with the Krab howitzer. The Military Institute of Armament Technology confirmed compliance with the NATO JBMoU standard, clearing the way for series production. This marks Poland’s first domestic production of artillery propellant in decades.
For years, the lack of gunpowder was Europe’s biggest bottleneck in ramping up ammunition output. Poland, despite having a large fleet of Krab and K9 howitzers, produced only a few thousand 155 mm shells annually until 2023 and relied on imported components. The new line in Pionki is expected to become a pillar of national security, but experts warn that it is only the beginning.
A breakthrough after decades of failure
The history of Polish efforts to build a gunpowder plant is littered with broken promises. In 2011, Mesko announced a project with Swiss Nitrochemie – it never materialized. In 2018, the prime minister promised a nitrocellulose line in Pionki with a 400 million złoty budget and a 2020 deadline. The deadline was pushed to 2024, but the project stalled, machinery rusted in storage, and a control audit recommended halting the program. Only after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine did the urgency finally translate into action.
In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed a 13.5 billion złoty contract with the PGZ-Amunicja consortium to deliver hundreds of thousands of 155 mm shells under the National Ammunition Reserve program. A month later, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced 2.4 billion złoty from the Capital Investment Fund for three new factories: one for current-generation shells (up to 100,000 per year), one for advanced projectiles for Krab and K9 systems (up to 80,000 per year), and a “powder plant” for multi-base propellants. Combined, these facilities aim to produce 150,000–180,000 shells annually by 2027–2028.
The road to ammunition sovereignty
Despite this progress, Poland’s ammunition stockpile remains dangerously low. General Dariusz Łukowski, former head of the National Security Bureau, stated in March 2025: – Ammunition in some areas is enough for 5 days, maybe a week, maybe two weeks. After that, if allied help arrives in time, perhaps some miracle will happen. – The defence minister acknowledged the shortage of 155 mm rounds but insisted that the country is making up for lost time. Estimates suggest Poland currently has 30,000–60,000 155 mm shells – enough for perhaps a day or two of intense combat for over 260 howitzers.
The scale of the challenge is enormous. Retired General Waldemar Skrzypczak argued that Poland should stockpile at least 3 million artillery shells. At the planned production rate of 180,000 per year, building that reserve would take 5 to 15 years. Moreover, the industry still needs to secure supply chains for shell bodies, fuses, modular charges, nitrocellulose, and other components, many of which are currently imported. Storage facilities, quality control lines, and sustained investment are also essential.
Private sector steps in
State-owned companies are not alone. The Niewiadów Group, backed by the Forum 119 fund, has secured 310 million złoty to build a factory capable of producing 180,000 155 mm shells per year. Grupa WB plans to deliver its first batch of 5,000–10,000 rounds in 2026, ramping up to 50,000–100,000 annually by 2027. This diversification is welcome, as demand for artillery ammunition continues to grow. The Pionki plant opens the door, but only the combination of state and private investment, stable procurement, and a complete domestic supply chain can finally end Poland’s ammunition nightmare.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. ZOOM MON / st. szer. spec. Denis Rubelt / 21 Batalion Saperów w Gniewczynie Łańcuckiej
