The arms industry in Central and Eastern Europe is booming. The manufacturers of various weapons are benefiting from the fact that their governments are sending material aid to Ukraine and need to rebuild their warehouses. The arms boom concerns mainly Polish and Czech companies.
Aid for Ukraine
Arms manufacturers in Central and Eastern Europe are experiencing their biggest boom since the end of the Cold War. This is a consequence of the war in Ukraine and the aid that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are sending to the Ukrainian army.
But not only that. Individual states are aware of the need to increase defence spending, as the military has been a neglected aspect of public finances in recent years. The willingness to increase military spending then presents an opportunity for arms companies to expand into foreign markets.
Poland as a major arms producer
Poland is one of the leading arms producers in the post-communist region. The state-owned PGZ company controls 50 other companies that manufacture weapons and ammunition, ranging from armoured personnel carriers to airborne systems. According to Reuters, however, armourers from the Czech Republic or Slovakia are not lagging behind.
