Rheinmetall Advances East Europe Expansion With Lithuania Plant

Rheinmetall AG moved ahead with plans for a Lithuanian ammunition plant, marking the biggest defense investment in the country’s history and boosting production capacity on NATO’s eastern flank.

The German defense giant broke ground on the plant Tuesday, aiming to manufacture 155-millimeter artillery shells on a 340-hectare site in the northern Lithuanian town of Baisogala. The facility, expected to begin operations in mid-2026, will produce 35,000 artillery shells initially before expanding to as many as 100,000 rounds in 2027, Rheinmetall Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger said.