PGO S.A. One Step Away from Launching Production!
Four successful range trials, several dozen rounds fired in different locations and, most importantly, the capability to produce up to 100,000 projectile bodies per year — the project of the first Polish 155 mm artillery projectile is entering its decisive phase. The body, developed and produced by PGO S.A. together with the Military Institute of Armament Technology, passed its most important test this week at the Central Air Force Training Range in Ustka. If the current rapid pace of work is maintained, the project will enter the commercialisation phase as early as 2027. PGO will present its advanced design next week during the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, held on 8–11 September 2026.
This is one of those projects whose importance extends far beyond the product itself. Poland is currently expanding its artillery with hundreds of modern self-propelled howitzers, while also having to answer one of the most important questions related to national security: where can the country obtain sufficient ammunition for these systems in a crisis or conflict? One answer is to build domestic production capabilities and manufacture Polish projectiles free from licence restrictions.
Three ranges, three important tests
The 155 mm artillery projectile body produced by PGO S.A. has already completed three range trials. The first tests took place in April this year at the facilities of the Military Institute of Armament Technology. It was the first major verification of the developed design under range conditions.
The next two tests were conducted using ballistic guns at two different ranges. At the beginning of August, the body was tested during firing with an AHS Krab ballistic gun at the WITU OBD range in Stalowa Wola.
The most important test, held this week, involved several dozen WITU personnel, representatives of the Polish Navy and representatives of parties interested in the project. A series of rounds fired from a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer brought a positive result: a distance of over 30 km was exceeded, with high velocity and stable pressure parameters. Further firing series confirmed an average distance above 30 km, providing assurance of the repeatability and stability of both the concept and the design. These distances make it possible to clearly summarise the test results as a major success for Hollow Base projectiles.
“We are much further today than we were a year ago, when we presented the demonstration version of the 155 mm body in Kielce. It is no longer a solution developed only on paper or a prototype. It has completed further real range trials, including the most important one in Ustka. This success confirms the enormous resources and capabilities within the Polish defence industry in the area of ammunition,” says Andrzej Bulanowski, Vice-President of the Management Board for Sales at PGO S.A.
100,000 projectile bodies per year
PGO S.A. is currently one of the most important Polish entities capable of manufacturing bodies for this type of ammunition. The estimated production capacity for cast bodies reaches approximately 100,000 units per year. This is a potential that, once serial production is launched, may have real importance for building Poland’s ammunition capabilities.
Poland needs its own ammunition
It should be recalled that the project conducted by PGO S.A. and WITU was created in response to one of the biggest challenges facing modern armed forces: limited global production capacity for artillery ammunition. The war in Ukraine has shown that in a conflict, artillery consumes enormous quantities of ammunition. At the same time, Poland has significantly increased the number of 155 mm artillery systems it operates in recent years. The Polish Armed Forces are receiving, among others, Krab self-propelled howitzers and Korean K9 systems. Without adequate ammunition stockpiles, even the most modern artillery system will not be able to use its full potential.
This is why building domestic 155 mm production capabilities has become one of the key challenges for the Polish defence industry.
The scale of demand is enormous. According to estimates cited in debates on Poland’s ammunition security, securing target stock levels may require at least 3 million 155 mm projectiles. This shows why developing a domestic projectile body is of strategic importance.
The goal goes beyond creating another industrial product. It is about enabling Poland to build part of the entire ammunition supply chain — from body production and filling, through final assembly, to a ready projectile delivered to the stockpiles of the Polish Armed Forces.
“Our goal is not to create a single prototype. We want to build a capability that can be used in real production. Poland needs modern weapons systems, as well as its own industrial base to provide ammunition for them. PGO has the competence, infrastructure and production potential to become one of the important links in this chain,” emphasises Andrzej Bulanowski, Vice-President of the Management Board at PGO S.A.
A project that may change PGO’s position in the defence sector
The development of the Polish 155 mm body is one example of the broader transformation of PGO S.A. and the strengthening of the company’s position in the defence sector. The company is using capabilities developed over many years in foundry and forging operations. The combination of metallurgical experience with new design and research competences enables PGO to enter increasingly advanced areas of the defence industry. In the 155 mm project, PGO acts as the lead industrial entity, working in cooperation with the Military Institute of Armament Technology.
From prototype to production
The project of the first Polish 155 mm artillery projectile body began as a research and development undertaking. The following stages included the development of the design, prototype production, laboratory testing and, finally, range trials.
Today, the most important design assumptions are already being verified under real-world conditions. Further trials are intended to confirm the body’s ballistic parameters, including its behaviour under different firing conditions, muzzle velocity and achieved range. After the current testing phase is completed, the project is expected to move from the test phase to production. PGO assumes that commercialisation of the solution will be possible as early as 2027.
“This is a very important moment for us. From PGO’s perspective, we are completing the stage in which the key objective was to prove that the developed solution works and meets its assumptions. Now, preparing the capability for serial production is becoming equally important. We want Polish industry to be more than a recipient of technologies and finished products from abroad. We want it to have the competence to develop and produce them independently,” says Andrzej Bulanowski, Vice-President of the Management Board at PGO S.A.
PGO will present the project in Kielce
The results of the ongoing “155 project” will be presented next week during the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce. Grupa PGO S.A. is a regular exhibitor at the trade fair, and during this year’s edition, solutions related to the ammunition domain and land systems will have a special place in its offer.
At the PGO S.A. stand — Hall 9, Stand B04 — the company will present the Polish 155 mm ammunition body project carried out together with the Military Institute of Armament Technology. This year’s presentation will be particularly important. Several months have passed since the first information about the project, and during that time the solution has moved from research and development work to further range trials.
Today, the first Polish 155 mm projectile body is one step away from completing the testing phase and entering the path toward serial production.
The exhibition will also provide an opportunity to present the results of PGO’s developing international cooperation. The British company Llanelec Precision Engineering, with which PGO is developing a partnership in the defence sector, will appear at MSPO together with the Polish group.
