The European Commission has allocated €168.2 million, approximately $195 million, to expand European manufacturing capacity for explosives, propulsion systems, warheads and ammunition. The funding forms part of the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme and will support eight projects under its Industrial Reinforcement Action pillar. Initiatives include expanding missile and drone propulsion production in Norway and the Czech Republic, increasing warhead manufacturing across France, Poland, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania and Spain, and boosting explosives production in Finland and Germany. Sweden will receive support for small-calibre ammunition production. The initiative targets annual output exceeding 20,000 tonnes of energetic materials, 3,500 propulsion systems, 200,000 loitering-munition warheads and 60 million ammunition rounds. Production activities will cover 17 facilities across 14 EU member states and Norway. Separately, the EU approved the Omnibus V package on 9 October to simplify defence procurement, speed up permits and facilitate cross-border military equipment transfers. Permit procedures will be capped at 102 working days.
