Europe re-arms: Weapons factory space triples

Pars Today – As the war in Ukraine continues, Europe’s defense industries are expanding at an unprecedented pace.

Analysis of satellite data from 150 arms facilities shows that the continent is implementing a historic rearmament program, with weapons factory space now totaling 7 million square meters.

According to the Financial Times, radar satellite data indicates that since the start of the Ukraine war, construction at European arms factories has tripled compared to peacetime, with about one-third of these facilities undergoing major physical expansions, including new buildings and roads.

This massive expansion is the result of the “European Defense Revival” plan and a program called ASAP, funded with €500 million to boost ammunition and missile production. Of the 88 factories under this program, 20 have seen extensive construction, while the others have undergone minor expansions or repurposing.

Satellite images show that Europe’s military facilities, including factories of major companies like Germany’s Rheinmetall and the UK’s BAE Systems, are rapidly transforming into large-scale wartime production centers. For example, Rheinmetall’s 155mm ammunition production capacity is set to rise from 70,000 units in 2022 to 1.1 million by 2027.

Pars Today, citing the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), reports that defense analyst William Alberque describes this development as a “structural and long-term change,” marking a new era of military preparedness in Europe — one resembling an industrial base for a perpetual war.