German defense concern Rheinmetall is expecting the new ammunition plant in Ukraine to be completed in fall 2026. Having just opened a similar industrial facility in Unterlüss, Germany, CEO Armin Papperger has outlined the company's current plans in an interview with DW.
"First of all, we need a concept to build all that. The civilian part is not ready. I believe that the Minister [of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal] will take care of it and do it, and then the ammunition factory should be ready in 12–14 months," Papperger said.
Read more: How Many Airburst Bullets It Takes to Down a Shahed-136 (Video)
Rheinmetall CEO has already hurried Minister Shmyhal in a private conversation earlier, he said.
"Before we even started planning in Unterlüss, we were already planning in Ukraine. But in Ukraine, we are still not ready. Let me say this: we can do better," Papperger remarked.
He did not name specific reasons why the factory in Ukraine has been delayed, except that "the civilian part is not ready." Previously, Papperger complained about the high level of bureaucracy in Ukraine as the main reason for the plant construction delays.
Here, though, one possible reason is also that the German company was overeager in its plans and promises, Defense Express adds. Because, simultaneously, when KNDS Deutschland was trying to enter Ukraine with a repair hub project, the enterprise was not prepared for the wartime realities, as the chairman Ralph Ketzel admitted. He disagreed, however, about the bureaucracy problems by saying they were nothing unexpected.
Back to Rheinmetall, the German arms giant has been pushing for the plant construction in Ukraine since at least July 2024, when an official announcement was made. At the time, the facility was promised to start mass-producing ammunition within 24 months, in July 2026.
The updated timeline, although it doesn't meet the plan, will still be delayed by only a few months — a tolerable deviation on a large scale. If everything goes smoothly from here on, that is.
Read more: Rheinmetall to Build Europe's Largest Gunpowder Plant in Bulgaria
