Northrop Grumman (NOC) and Poland’s Niewiadow-PGM plan to produce more than 180,000 155-mm artillery shells annually at a new facility in Poland, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing company executives.
The companies signed a framework agreement to jointly manufacture the ammunition, which is widely used in Ukraine’s war with Russia and has faced supply shortages across Europe.
Quinn Canole, Northrop Grumman’s (NOC) managing director for Poland, said the company’s technology can support output at Niewiadow’s target level of 180,000 rounds a year. Production is expected to begin later this year and will serve the United States, Poland and other European markets. He did not exclude potential sales to Ukraine.
The partnership will deploy Northrop’s (NOC) Austempered Ductile Iron technology, a casting and heat-treatment process designed to speed up production and reduce costs compared with traditional forging methods. Executives said the approach should allow for future capacity increases as the technology scales.
Northrop (NOC) officials described Poland as a strategic hub for expanding its European manufacturing footprint, citing the country’s rising defense budget and industrial base. Poland plans to spend 4.8% of its GDP on defense this year, the highest share among NATO members.
Separately, Northrop (NOC) is in advanced discussions with Polish state-owned manufacturer Mesko on potential co-production of 30-mm and 120-mm ammunition, further deepening its presence in the region, Reuters reported.