Latvia to build new ammunition plant amid war in Ukraine
Photo: Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Getty Images)
Latvia will build a new artillery ammunition plant. The facility is planned to be launched by 2026, according to Delfi.
Latvia’s Minister of Defense, Andris Spruds, noted that the plant would produce 50,000 modular propellant charges for artillery ammunition per year. Negotiations with local authorities are still ongoing.
It is planned to build the plant on land owned by the Ministry of Defense, which has the necessary infrastructure. The construction of the plant will cost around 12 million euros, with 1 million euros co-financed by the European Union.
The procurement of raw materials for artillery ammunition production will require about 15 million euros per year, with plans to purchase the raw materials from Italy.
According to the agency, the artillery shells will also be supplied to the Latvian army.
Recently, Lithuania signed an agreement with the German defense company Rheinmetall to build a weapons manufacturing plant. Rheinmetall announced the construction of a plant in Lithuania to produce 155mm artillery shells.
Additionally, Rheinmetall received the largest order in its history. The company will manufacture at least 350 Lynx combat vehicles and over 200 Panther tanks for Italy.
During the full-scale war, Ukraine began to actively cooperate with Rheinmetall, particularly regarding the joint production of weapons and the opening of a workshop for repairing German equipment on Ukrainian territory.
