There is a common belief that warfighters can never have enough sleep, food, or ammunition. Solving the first two issues may be a problem for another day, but German-based Rheinmetall is working with NATO member Lithuania to address the latter need.

The defense firm has begun construction of an artillery ammunition plant in the Lithuanian city of Baisogala, in the center of the Baltic nation. The plant will produce 155mm rounds – the NATO standard ordnance for weapons including the M777 towed howitzer, and numerous self-propelled artillery platforms.

The facility is on track to begin manufacturing the ordnance by the middle of 2026, and once fully operational it will be able to produce "tens of thousands of 155mm" artillery shells annually, the German company announced. 180 million euros ($190 million) is being invested to build the plant, which will also create around 150 jobs.

"The establishment of the German defense industry company Rheinmetall's ammunition factory in Lithuania is not only significant in the context of the defense industry's development but will also address the needs of our armed forces," said Lithuanian Minister of Defense Laurynas Kas i nas.

"It was quite a complex process, but I am pleased and grateful to my colleagues that, through joint efforts, we managed to reach an agreement on this historic and important project for our national security," Kas i nas added.

The Shell Game

The 155mm shells are about two feet long, and each weighs around 100 pounds. The ordnance has been one of the most widely produced artillery shells of the 21st century – but also the most widely used as NATO has supplied Ukraine with vast quantities.

Prior to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, the United States as only producing a few thousand rounds – mostly to rotate old stockpiles, which were depleted in training exercises. The war changed everything as the U.S. and its allies stepped up and sent hundreds of thousands of 155mm rounds to Ukraine.

The United States has set a goal to produce 100,000 monthly and more than one million rounds annually. The Rheinmetall plant in Lithuania will allow NATO to further build up its stockpiles.

Addressing Logistic Challenges

The location of the facility will not only bring a few jobs to the Lithuanian city, it will help NATO replenish its stockpiles of the much-needed 155mm ordnance. But there is another consideration as to why the plant is being built in the dead center of the Baltic State.

There has also been a serious concern that in a war with Russia and Belarus, the three Baltic States could be cut off from Poland via the narrow Suwa ki Gap. In such a conflict, Russia could drive quickly into the corridor from both the east via Belarus and from the west from the exclave of Kaliningrad.

The NATO forces in the region would need every shell they could get.

Supplying the units in the Baltic States by air and sea would certainly be possible, but building up the region's defenses and more importantly its infrastructure to produce the ordnance now ensures that the stockpiles are replenished – especially as NATO has provided untold quantities to aid Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The Lithuanian factory will also send a message to Moscow that Lithuania and its neighbors are part of NATO and that's not going to change anytime soon.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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