Rheinmetall has opened a new 155mm artillery ammunition plant in Unterlüß, Germany, which is now the largest in Europe. Construction took just 15 months and cost €500 million.
According to Defense Industry Europe, the new facility will produce 25,000 shells by the end of 2025 and 140,000 the following year. Full production capacity of 350,000 rounds annually will only be reached in 2027, meaning it will take two years to ramp up.
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In addition to supplying Ukraine, an order for Romania was already announced during the opening ceremony. This coincides with plans to build a gunpowder plant in Romania worth €550 million.
Rheinmetall highlighted the record speed of the new German plant's construction, presenting it as a symbol of its industrial capability. The facility covers 30,000 square meters and will create up to 500 jobs.
As Defense Express notes, this could also explain Rheinmetall's frustration with the slower pace of launching similar production in Ukraine, where the company cites bureaucracy. That plant is expected to take 12–14 months before it becomes operational.
Nevertheless, the Unterlüß facility is a significant boost for Ukraine's defense forces, which continue to face an urgent need for artillery ammunition. By 2027, Rheinmetall aims to expand its total production to 1.5 million 155mm shells per year.
Currently, however, the industry's main bottleneck remains the shortage of gunpowder, a problem felt across Europe. Alongside Romania, Bulgaria is also considering establishing such production, though its parliament has yet to approve the project.
Overall, this is a strong example of Europe strengthening its defense industry and becoming increasingly self-reliant. Unfortunately, not all areas of the defense sector are advancing as quickly — for instance, the production of SAMP/T air defense systems.
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