A major part of this investment is the new explosive filling facility in Glascoed, South Wales, which will come online this summer and deliver a sixteen-fold increase in 155mm artillery shell production. In parallel, BAE Systems has committed an additional £8.5 million over five years to pioneering new approaches in energetics production.
These novel processes include continuous flow synthesis of explosives and a new propellant formulation that eliminates the use of Nitrocellulose and Nitroglycerine—materials currently under global supply pressure. As a result, the company aims to meet both UK Ministry of Defence and international demands with full industrial capacity expected by the end of 2026.
“Our leap forward in synthetic energetics and propellant manufacture will strengthen the UK’s supply chain resilience and support our ramp up of critical munitions production to meet growing demand in response to the increasingly uncertain world we’re living in,” said Steve Cardew, Business Development Director at BAE Systems’ Maritime and Land Defence Solutions. “It also supports economic growth through high-skilled jobs and potential export opportunities.”
A successful pilot programme has already demonstrated the viability of producing explosives in small, distributed nodes, potentially eliminating the need for large-scale explosive factories. The new propellant and production method have shown compatibility across a broad spectrum of munitions, from small arms to large calibre rounds.
These technologies are designed to lower investment costs, reduce operational expenses, and improve safety through a continuous production process that limits the amount of explosive in use at any one time. BAE Systems continues to supply a wide range of ammunition to the UK Ministry of Defence from its facilities in Cheshire, Monmouthshire, and Tyne and Wear.
