BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Armaments and chemical companies from Germany will receive a large part of the new EU funding for the expansion of European ammunition and missile production. As the responsible EU Commission announced on Friday, more than 130 million of the total 500 million euros will be made available for German projects. These include plans coordinated by the companies Rheinmetall, Nitrochemie and Alzchem to increase production capacities for projectiles and the necessary propellants. MBDA Deutschland GmbH will also receive money for a guided missile project.

The funds are being allocated via a receivables program that was developed in response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It is intended to provide incentives for the expansion of the production of ammunition and missiles in the European Union and also to ensure that Ukraine can be supported in the long term.

According to estimates, the projects now called for will make it possible, for example, to increase the production volume of explosives by more than 4,300 tons per year. Overall, the annual production capacity for projectiles is set to increase to up to 1.7 million by the end of the year and exceed the two million mark by the beginning of 2026. In the case of 155-millimeter artillery shells, which are currently particularly important for Ukraine, the mark of one million per year has already been reached this January, the Commission announced.

In addition to the EU states, Norway is also involved in the demand program called ASAP (Act in Support of Ammunition Production). The EU funding share for the projects is up to 45 percent.

In addition to the ASAP program, the project to promote joint procurement in the EU defence industry (EDIRPA) was also driven forward on Friday. The Commission published a tender for this. The new instrument is intended to grant Member States partial reimbursement from the EU budget for purchases involving a consortium of at least three Member States. A total of 310 million euros is available./aha/DP/stk