The partnership between BAE Systems and Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) to establish a new 155mm artillery ammunition manufacturing facility in Poland has been recognised with the prestigious British-Polish Collaboration Award – jointly presented by the British Embassy in Warsaw and the British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC). But for the defence supply chain, the award is less significant than what the partnership itself represents: one of the most consequential munitions industrial collaborations in Europe right now.
The programme at a glance
Launched via a Strategic Partnership Agreement in September 2025, the collaboration is establishing a dedicated 155mm artillery ammunition manufacturing facility in Poland – combining BAE Systems’ proven munitions expertise and production technology with PGZ’s substantial domestic industrial base. The programme directly addresses one of NATO’s most acute capability gaps: insufficient artillery ammunition production capacity at a time of historically high demand.
The timing is no coincidence. Poland is currently one of Europe’s largest defence spenders, with an ambitious rearmament programme and a stated commitment to building sovereign industrial capacity rather than simply buying off the shelf. This partnership delivers both.
Why the supply chain should look beyond the headline
The 155mm facility is the anchor, but the Strategic Partnership Agreement is explicitly designed to expand. Both parties have confirmed that the collaboration provides:
- Technology and knowledge transfer – BAE Systems’ manufacturing expertise being embedded into Polish industrial capability
- Broader munitions and components collaboration – the partnership scope extends well beyond 155mm shells
- Energetics manufacturing – PGZ’s explosives production technologies are on the table, with potential pathways into the UK market
- Export opportunities – the combined platform is positioned to pursue third-country markets
PGZ President Adam Leszkiewicz was direct about the reciprocal nature of the arrangement: “We are opening a path to the British market, where we can introduce our explosives production technologies.” That is a significant statement – Polish energetics capability entering the UK defence industrial base is a supply chain development worth tracking closely.
The UK-Poland defence relationship is accelerating
The award comes days after the UK and Poland signed a new bilateral defence partnership agreement in London — further institutionalising a relationship that is rapidly becoming one of the most strategically significant in European defence. For supply chain businesses, bilateral government frameworks of this kind typically precede sustained industrial procurement activity and create structured channels for SME and tier-two supplier engagement.
Dame Melinda Simmons, HM Ambassador to Poland, noted: “The economic partnership between the United Kingdom and Poland is stronger today than ever before… from growing direct investment and trade to joint initiatives in energy transition, new technologies, and security.”
Relevant supply chain capability areas:
- Artillery ammunition components and sub-assemblies
- Propellants, explosives and energetics manufacturing
- Precision munitions guidance and fuzing systems
- Munitions facility design, construction and fit-out
- Quality assurance and testing for artillery ammunition
- Manufacturing technology transfer and skills development
- Logistics and ammunition supply chain management
- Export compliance and international trade services
The strategic read
This partnership is a template, not a one-off. As European nations race to rebuild munitions stockpiles and domestic production capacity, the BAE-PGZ model – a prime bringing technology and market access, a national champion bringing industrial infrastructure and political backing – is likely to be replicated across multiple countries and calibres. Businesses with relevant manufacturing, components or energetics capabilities should be positioning now for tier-two and tier-three roles within programmes of this kind before competition intensifies.
BAE Systems’ munitions division and PGZ’s international partnerships office are the primary engagement routes for supply chain businesses seeking to explore opportunities within this programme. The BPCC also provides a structured channel for UK businesses seeking to develop relationships within the Polish defence industrial base.
Image: BAE Systems
