Poland’s PGZ defense company eyes weapons production in Ukraine
Photo: Polish PGZ plans to manufacture weapons in Ukraine (Getty Images)
The Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) is interested in jointly producing a range of weapons with Ukraine, including drones, artillery, and others, according to PGZ Deputy Chairman Jan Grabowski.
According to Grabowski, PGZ has already held talks with both the Ministry of Defense and industry representatives regarding potential cooperation. In particular, PGZ representatives participated in the Polish-Ukrainian Defense Industry Forum, which took place in Lviv in April this year.
"PGZ highly values the level of the Ukrainian defense industry. We want to cooperate and strive first and foremost to help Ukrainians and the Ukrainian defense industry by providing a safe place," the vice president emphasizes.
According to Grabowski, the company is ready to cooperate in various forms to manufacture Ukrainian products in Poland, in a safe place and under safe conditions.
"We are talking about cooperation with Ukraine primarily in the field of drone technology. This includes unmanned aerial vehicles, water drones, etc.," says the company's top manager.
He also stresses that PGZ is ready to produce components for drones and artillery.
"I am referring, in particular, to the Krab self-propelled gun. We are talking with Ukraine about the production of barrels, because we know that this is a very important element of armament," he says.
Grabowski recalls that PGZ repairs tanks that come from the front lines in Ukraine at Polish enterprises, and Krab self-propelled guns are also repaired in Ukraine, but the barrels are replaced with Polish-made ones.
"And one of the ideas for cooperation is to produce these barrels directly in Ukraine," he explains.
PGZ activities
PGZ will receive $665 million from the Polish Ministry of State Property for a project to build three new factories.
The plants will produce 155 mm artillery shells, demand for which has risen sharply since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. PGZ wants to increase its annual ammunition production capacity to 150,000 shells within two to three years.
Currently, the Polish company PGZ manufactures approximately 30,000 shells per year. Thanks to new funding, this volume is planned to be increased more than fivefold. All processes will be carried out in Poland to avoid dependence on imported parts.
