Image Credentials: Image Title: Rheinmetall to Build Two Military Production Plants in Bulgaria Source: (Gemini) Date: August 2025. Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (Gemini), it does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
Sofia, August 26, 2025 – German defense company Rheinmetall will construct two new production facilities in Bulgaria, one dedicated to gunpowder and another to 155 mm artillery shells, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.
Borisov, head of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, announced on his Facebook page after a meeting with Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. In a video shared online, he noted that shortages of 155 mm artillery shells have become acute, affecting not only Bulgaria but also Europe as a whole.
The project is expected to deliver an annual output of about 100,000 artillery shells. Discussions are also taking place over the establishment of a drone manufacturing facility as part of wider cooperation with Rheinmetall.
❗️The 🇩🇪German concern Rheinmetall will build two factories in 🇧🇬Bulgaria for the production of gunpowder, artillery shells and drones. pic.twitter.com/RmrhjNYfHx
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) August 26, 2025
Talks with the German defense giant began in March, with formal agreements due to be submitted to Bulgaria’s parliament for approval. The investment is projected to reach €1 billion, marking one of the largest defense-industrial initiatives in the country’s history.
Borisov stressed that the plants would reinforce Bulgaria’s defense capabilities, generate jobs, and integrate the country more deeply into Europe’s defense supply chain.
The 155 mm caliber is NATO’s standard for heavy artillery, and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine has sharply driven up global demand. Rheinmetall has expanded its munitions production capacity across Europe, with Bulgaria’s strategic location on NATO’s eastern flank viewed as highly significant.
With the deal, Bulgaria is poised to become a more important player in European defense manufacturing, as Western governments race to replenish stockpiles and supply Ukraine with critical ammunition.
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