Thanks to MSM GROUP, Slovakia is an ammunition giant
The vast majority of European states have not paid much attention to the issues of defense, security and modernization of the military in the last few years. This situation changed radically after the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This war conflict, which has been going on for more than half a year, in several cases raises concerns about one’s own security. For this reason, the governments of European countries have decided to take several steps in order to increase their own security. These include military support for Ukraine, an increase in defense budgets, as well as the purchase of new military equipment and military equipment. While on the one hand these are logical steps aimed at militarily weakening Russia and deterring it from a possible attack on NATO members, on the other hand the question is how quickly not only the European, but the defense industry in general, can deal with the constantly growing demand for new weapons and ammunition. In many cases, in connection with modernization projects, the basic stocks of various types of ammunition are forgotten, without which any weapon systems are useless.
The conflict in Ukraine itself proves the importance of ending the amount of ammunition. Only in the case of medium and large-caliber artillery ammunition is consumption in the thousands. Some military analysts believe that it will be ammunition stocks that will be one of the key factors in the success of one side or the other. According to the security think tank RUSI, the current annual production of ammunition in the USA in relation to the consumption of ammunition in the conflict in Ukraine would be enough for approximately 10 to 14 days. This fact must also be taken into account when analyzing supplies of western weapons to Ukraine, their use depends to a large extent on how much ammunition Ukraine has or will receive for specific weapon systems. The consumption of ammunition in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia unequivocally proves that a country with a very well-developed industrial base for the production of ammunition will have a significant advantage over others in the event of a military conflict. Among the countries, perhaps surprising for some, is also Slovakia, thanks to the holding MSM GROUP, which represents the Slovak branch of the industrial-technological holding Czechoslovak Group.
Slovak urban independence
MSM GROUP is among the largest enterprises of the defense industry in Slovakia, specializing primarily in the production and provision of the entire life cycle of artillery, tank and mortar ammunition of both Western and Eastern caliber. Thanks to its wide portfolio of ammunition and ammunition services, it is rightly ranked among the European and even world leaders in this field. “We are probably the first company from the eastern part of NATO, which also asserts itself in the markets with western ammunition and successfully trades with it.” emphasizes the uniqueness of MSM GROUP’s production portfolio, its vice president Pavol Čahoj. MSM GROUP has its customers on several continents. In addition to European countries such as Poland or Spain, customers of ammunition from the MSM GROUP portfolio also include Brazil, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Indonesia.
“Our main product is artillery ammunition, which can be divided into two subgroups. The first is mortar ammunition of caliber 60 mm, 81 mm, 82 mm and 120 mm. The second subgroup is artillery ammunition for howitzer caliber 105 mm, 122 mm, 152 mm and 155 mm,Pavol Čahoj describes the specific types of ammunition produced. According to analyst Pierre Grasser from the Sorbonne University in Paris, Ukraine currently has at its disposal approximately half a million 155-millimeter artillery ammunition for approximately 240 howitzers delivered from Western countries. The daily consumption of ammunition in the last months of the war is around 3,000 rounds, which means that the reserves of Western-caliber artillery ammunition will be enough in Ukraine until the end of autumn. Since the Ukrainian defense industry is not currently capable of producing enough ammunition, it will again be necessary to obtain ammunition from the Western allies. However, some western countries do not have the opportunity to directly produce ammunition on their territory and will be dependent on supplies from abroad. In light of the conflict in Ukraine, MSM GROUP’s capacity is of strategic importance to Slovakia, as Slovakia can secure supplies of the necessary ammunition for its artillery before it is too late and I do not have to rely on supplies from abroad.
In addition to providing a special number of artillery ammunition, MSM GROUP is also ready to provide ammunition for new types of equipment that the Slovak Ministry of Defense plans to procure. “We are able to supply tank ammunition of caliber 105mm, eastern caliber 125mm and at the same time western 120mm,Pavol Čaj, vice president of MSM GROUP. Tank ammunition of 120 mm caliber is also used by Leopard 2A4 tanks, which Slovakia will receive from Germany in the number of 15 pieces. By the way, the Spanish company FM Granada, which has been part of the MSM GROUP since 2020, supplies ammunition for the Spanish Army’s Leopard 2 tanks. In the future, it is very likely that Slovakia will decommission the old T-72 tanks and fully switch to Western-made tanks. For tanks using Western-caliber ammunition, Slovakia can once again provide, through the MSM GROUP, reserve stocks of ammunition and maintain greater firepower in combat deployment without paying for supplies from abroad. Thanks to MSM GROUP, even a small country like Slovakia can become a munitions giant.