This year, the company is carrying out a record number of projects – the highest in its history. One of the goals they serve is to ensure Poland’s production sovereignty and maximize independence from foreign supplies. This was emphasized by Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda on Wednesday, April 1, during his latest visit to Mesko, where an agreement was signed between the company and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa regarding the implementation of the Narew air defense program.
Photos: Mesko
“Today’s agreement is very important for many reasons, one of them being that, in addition to manufacturing the product itself, we are acquiring the ability to service and develop it here in Poland, without becoming dependent on external suppliers. That has always been our priority: building Poland’s security, ensuring technology transfer, and developing the capabilities of the Polish defense industry,” emphasized Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda.
Of the six projects currently underway, two, Project 400 and Project 44.7, which began in 2019 and 2015 respectively, had experienced years of delays. It was only in 2024, when a new management board was appointed, that work accelerated significantly.
Since 2024, missile production under the Piorun Project has been ramped up and increased by more than 100 percent. In 2025 and 2026, Mesko also joined two further undertakings: Project 155 and the Narew Program. The fastest results of the company’s efforts are visible in Project 400.
Project 400
These are three tasks involving investments in propellant and large-caliber ammunition production in Pionki, investments in small- and medium-caliber ammunition production, and investments in the development of anti-aircraft missile production in Skarżysko-Kamienna. The value of this project amounts to 651.254 million PLN, including 150 million PLN from the Capital Investment Fund. The completion deadline is December 2026.
As early as June last year, a modern production hall with new technological lines for the manufacture of small-caliber ammunition was commissioned in Skarżysko-Kamienna.
As Mesko President Renata Gruszczyńska said at its opening, this increased ammunition output to 250 million rounds annually.
“Already today, this means the production of one million rounds every working day. This is not only an increase in scale. It is also an increase in quality, reliability, and safety. It is an important pillar of Project 400 – a comprehensive modernization program for Mesko, co-financed by state funds. Our ultimate goal is to create a modern, fully independent production base for small-, medium-, and large-caliber ammunition, missiles, propellants, and cartridge cases,” she emphasized.
She added:
“Thanks to this investment, the role of the plants is growing not only as a supplier to the Polish army, but they are also becoming an increasingly significant player on international markets. Production, which we base overwhelmingly on domestic components, increases the resilience of the supply chain and makes us independent of external suppliers.”
Thanks to Project 400, production of Piorun missiles also increased dramatically, from 300 in 2019 to around 1,300 in 2025.
Project 44.7
It includes modernization processes for propellant and ammunition production at Mesko’s Pionki branch, with a total value of nearly 76 million PLN. Using its own funds, Mesko purchased real estate enabling the expansion of the plant, commissioned modernized production halls, and launched new technological lines. Almost all stages of the project have been successfully completed, and the entire undertaking is expected to be finished by the end of this year.
Project 155
It concerns investments in the production of bodies for 155 mm artillery ammunition, currently the most sought-after type of ammunition, as it is used by all NATO countries. As part of the project, the company received support in the amount of 887.2 million PLN from the Capital Investment Fund. Implementation of the project began in 2024, and its full objectives will be achieved in 2028 (Kraśnik – the Heart of Polish Artillery: How 155 mm Ammunition Shell Bodies Are Produced by Mesko in Kraśnik).
Piorun MANPADS Project
The aim of this project is to increase production capacity for the Piorun and Piorun 2 missile systems. Under the investment project now being carried out, Mesko will raise its production capabilities through the purchase of land with production buildings and the construction of new facilities on property it already owns. The plan is to gradually reach the target production capacity of more than 2,500 Piorun systems annually by the end of 2028.
Narew Program
This is Mesko’s newest undertaking as a member of the PGZ-Narew Consortium. Its task is the production of CAMM-ER surface-to-air missiles. Mesko is responsible for building the rocket motor and fragmentation warhead for the missiles, which means acquiring technology and know-how from a foreign partner, namely MBDA UK, building industrial capacity, managing the project, and integrating the system through the Polish defense industry. The value of this project is estimated at around 400 million PLN. The investment begins this year and is scheduled for completion in 2030.
The Narew program is intended to protect the country’s infrastructure, the armed forces, and strategic facilities from air attack. It will be responsible for filling the gap between very short-range systems, such as Pilica with Piorun missiles, and medium-range systems such as Wisła, with PAC-3 and PAC-2 missiles of the Patriot system.
Another undertaking currently being carried out by Mesko is the launch of production of components and modular charges for 155 mm ammunition at its plant in Pionki, alongside ongoing research and development work related to investments under Ministry of National Defence programs, including Wisła II, Homar-K, Miecznik, and 120 mm and 155 mm APR ammunition.
All of these undertakings require enormous commitment and a great deal of work, and consequently also additional employment. Mesko is one of the largest employers in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. The importance of the plant was also highlighted on April 1 at Mesko’s headquarters by Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Government Plenipotentiary for Senior Citizens Policy, and MP for Skarżysko-Kamienna.
“In 2023, the company employed 2,700 people; by 2025, that figure had already risen to 3,200. I know that this year another 300 employees will be hired across all of the company’s branches. Of course, employment growth is driven by further investment in the defense industry in connection with the threat of war, but meeting such a challenge also requires strategic thinking and a wide range of skills. Our government, the relevant ministries, the management board of PGZ, and the management board of Mesko are capable of responding to the state’s needs in this regard. That gives us a sense of security,” emphasized MP Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz.
Press release
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