Czech defense giant CSG sold licenses and helped deploy artillery ammunition production in Ukraine. Now through subsidiary MSM North America they laid foundation for new industrial capacities for scaling shell output in U.S.
This involves Future Artillery Complex (FAC), being built on Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP) territory. It will replace obsolete production line serving U.S. Army over 50 years.
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After completion, new industrial capacities will enable manufacturing up to 36,000 large-caliber ammunition. CSG states this will be most modern facility for filling 155mm shells with explosives.
MSM North America received contract for design, construction and commissioning from U.S. Army back in 2025. Plant itself will be state-owned but operated by contractor companies.
Enterprise construction should be completed within 40 months, while commissioning and first acceptance testing will occur within 48 months after contract signing. Future Artillery Complex is planned to fully operate in 2029.
Defense Express notes that according to available Pentagon reports, Iowa Army Ammunition Plant as of March 2026 could produce 30,000 artillery ammunition monthly. At the same time, 37,000 units should be reached in September, with December 2027 capabilities comprising 78,000 monthly.
Given CSG timelines, 78,000 large-caliber shells monthly by end 2027 will be achieved without this modernization. While after modernization volumes can potentially increase to 114,000 units at this enterprise. However figure may be lower depending on increment amount.
Recall U.S. wanted to achieve 100,000 155mm artillery ammunition monthly production back in 2025, but currently only 36,000 results. Cause was metal component manufacturing problems, which we examined earlier.
Regarding CSG, it serves as one of European ammunition production giants. Besides own capacities, it provides licenses and helps deploy production in other countries. In Ukraine, Ukrainian Armor company cooperates with it, currently able to produce 100,000 long-range shells annually.
Also Czech company considers U.S. as potential market for other products like Tatra trucks and MORANA SPH. The latter even interested American military when evaluating CSG enterprise capabilities.
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