Turkish defense company Repkon on Thursday signed an agreement with Pakistan’s Wah Industries Limited (WIL) to develop a production and filling line for 155 mm artillery shell bodies, with an annual capacity of 120,000 units, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Repkon, a key player in metal-forming technologies, has cemented its reputation as a major contributor to the global defense industry. Known for its advanced precision-engineering systems, the company serves the defense, aviation and space sectors, with strategic partnerships across the US and Europe amplifying its influence in international munitions production.
WIL, operating under major firearms and a defense contractor Pakistan Ordnance Factories, supplies various weapons and ammunition to the Pakistani Armed Forces and international markets. The collaboration with Repkon is expected to bolster Pakistan’s indigenous defense manufacturing capacity.
Repkon’s US subsidiary, Repkon USA, is establishing 155 mm artillery shell production lines in Texas. A contract for the project was signed in October 2024, with production expected to account for 30 percent of all US-manufactured 155 mm shells by 2025. Located in Mesquite, Texas, the facility aims to produce 30,000 shells monthly as part of broader efforts by the US Department of Defense to address a heightened munitions demand, particularly due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Additionally, Repkon has secured a $435 million contract to design and construct a TNT explosive production plant in Kentucky, marking the first domestic TNT production facility in the US since 1986. This development aligns with US objectives to enhance domestic production capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers for critical military materials.
Repkon has also entered a strategic partnership with France’s Bowas Group, a leader in the design, planning and construction of industrial facilities, especially in the sector of civil explosives, military powders and ammunition disposal. This collaboration further enhances Repkon’s capacity to meet rising global demand for artillery munitions.
The global importance of 155 mm artillery shells has been underscored by the Russia-Ukraine war, where both sides have relied heavily on artillery, expending millions of shells. The US aims to triple its monthly output of 155 mm shells to 100,000 by 2025, while the European Union targets an annual production of 1 million shells by the end of 2024.
Fatih Yurtsever, a defense industry analyst and former naval officer who uses a pseudonym out of security concerns, has linked these developments to the shifting dynamics of global defense cooperation. Highlighting the strategic nature of the Repkon-WIL agreement, Yurtsever noted its potential connection to Pakistan’s role in supplying ammunition to Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.
“In 2022, Pakistan signed a $364 million contract with American companies Global Military and Northrop Grumman to supply ammunition to Ukraine. The weapons were transported by British cargo planes, first to British bases in Southern Cyprus and then to Ukraine,” Yurtsever told Turkish Minute. “Given Turkey’s balanced policy in the Russia-Ukraine war, it might be planning to export 155 mm artillery shells to Ukraine via Pakistan. I believe this consideration influenced the agreement signed between Repkon and WIL.”