# Ukraine, Norway to Co-Produce Long-Range 155mm Artillery Shells *Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 8:05 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk* **Published**: 2026-05-10T20:05:05.088Z (2h ago) **Category**: conflict | **Region**: Eastern Europe **Importance**: 7/10 **Sources**: OSINT **Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/3399.md **Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries --- **Deck**: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 10 May 2026 at about 19:25 UTC that Ukraine and Norway will jointly produce long-range 155mm artillery shells. Kyiv says artillery remains essential despite expanding drone use and wider kill zones on the front. ## Key Takeaways - On 10 May 2026, Ukraine and Norway agreed to jointly produce long-range 155mm artillery ammunition. - Zelensky underscored that, despite heavy reliance on drones, long-range artillery remains a frontline priority. - The deal aims to reduce Ukraine’s dependence on external supply chains and stabilize ammunition availability. - Co-production with a NATO country deepens defense-industrial integration between Kyiv and Western partners. At around 19:25 UTC on 10 May 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly stated that Ukraine and Norway will begin joint production of long-range 155mm artillery shells. The announcement highlights Kyiv’s continued emphasis on conventional fires as a cornerstone of its military strategy against Russia, even as drone warfare and precision strike capabilities have expanded. Zelensky framed the initiative as a response to the evolving battlefield environment, where “kill zones” have widened due to the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles and improved surveillance. Ukrainian units on the front lines report that while drones provide valuable reconnaissance and strike options, they do not fully replace the need for sustained, long-range artillery fire to suppress enemy positions, interdict logistics, and shape the battlefield. Norway, a NATO member with a well-developed defense industrial base, brings manufacturing capacity, quality control standards, and access to alliance supply chains. Ukraine contributes urgent operational requirements, combat experience, and a strong incentive to localize production to mitigate supply disruptions. The focus on 155mm shells — the NATO standard heavy artillery caliber — underscores Kyiv’s transition away from Soviet-era systems and further integration with Western equipment and logistics norms. Key players in this development include the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, relevant Ukrainian state or private arms manufacturers, and Norwegian defense companies and authorities overseeing export controls and joint ventures. The arrangement is likely to draw on existing Norwegian expertise in artillery systems and ammunition, potentially involving technology transfer and long-term industrial partnerships. This move matters because ammunition availability has been a persistent bottleneck for Ukrainian operations. Western stockpiles have come under pressure, and production lines in Europe and North America have struggled to rapidly scale output. By establishing joint production with Norway, Ukraine both diversifies and partially internalizes its supply sources, reducing vulnerability to political delays or logistical issues in other donor states. It also signals a deeper strategic alignment with Northern Europe. Norway’s decision to co-produce offensive munitions with Ukraine, rather than solely donating from existing stocks, reflects a commitment to Kyiv’s long-term defense posture rather than short-term crisis management. This could encourage other NATO members to enter similar industrial partnerships, incrementally building a distributed European production base in support of Ukraine. At the operational level, a more reliable flow of long-range 155mm shells will enhance Ukraine’s ability to conduct counter-battery fire, strike Russian logistics hubs, and support maneuver. It may also allow Kyiv to conserve scarce precision-guided munitions for high-value targets, using conventional artillery for volume fire missions. ## Outlook & Way Forward Implementation timelines will be critical. Establishing or retooling production lines, securing raw materials, and coordinating quality assurance can take many months. Near-term Ukrainian artillery availability will still depend heavily on existing Western production and donations. Observers should watch for announcements detailing expected output rates, start-of-production dates, and whether facilities will be located solely in Norway, in Ukraine, or both. Politically, the co-production deal reinforces momentum for long-term security guarantees and post-war defense cooperation frameworks between Ukraine and NATO states. It also sets a precedent for other countries contemplating similar arrangements, potentially creating a mesh of bilateral and multilateral industrial ties that underpin Ukraine’s deterrence even after active large-scale combat subsides. Russia is likely to depict the deal as further evidence of NATO’s deepening involvement in the conflict, potentially using it to justify its own defense-industrial mobilization. However, the practical effect will be to normalize Ukraine’s participation in European defense supply chains. Over time, this may shift Kyiv from being primarily an aid recipient to a co-producer within a wider Euro-Atlantic defense ecosystem.