The situation at Fabryka Broni “Łucznik” in Radom reflects, in a nutshell, the government’s approach to defense policy. If those in power claim that everything can be purchased abroad—namely in European countries via the SAFE mechanism—then why not do exactly that? The government’s strategy, according to critics, is to maximize Poland’s external debt so that the country remains dependent for decades to come, said Andrzej Kosztowniak, an MP from Law and Justice, in an interview with Niezależna.pl.
As previously reported by Niezależna.pl, the Radom-based arms factory expanded its production capacity to meet military demand. However, it currently lacks sufficient orders to fully utilize that capacity. This follows directly from a response to a parliamentary inquiry submitted by Kosztowniak. At the core of the issue are state procurement decisions and the absence of new contracts.
In recent years, the Radom plant underwent a major expansion program. A new production hall was built (2025), automated machinery was installed, and employment increased significantly. These investments were a response to demand from the defense sector linked to the expansion of the Polish Armed Forces. As a result, the company achieved a high level of technological and production readiness. Today, however, that potential is not being fully utilized. According to the company’s management, current orders—though secured for several years—are insufficient to fully load production lines.
Employees of “Łucznik” are also raising concerns. In interviews with industry media, they indicated that the lack of new contracts could soon affect staffing levels.
According to the plant’s Solidarity trade union, more than 140 out of over 600 employees could lose their jobs.
The parliamentary inquiry regarding the situation at the Radom factory was submitted by Kosztowniak, a former finance minister in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. He asked the government about, among other things, the detailed order pipeline for 2026–2027, the future of military contracts, readiness to scale up production, and the potential impact on employment.
In a response signed by Deputy Minister of State Assets Konrad Gołota, it was acknowledged that the current volume of contracted orders does not ensure full utilization of the company’s production capacity.
“The current order volume remains significantly lower than the production capabilities achieved through the completed investment program, whose objective was the long-term expansion of the company’s production potential in line with the needs signaled by the Ministry of National Defence.”
“Reversed logic”
In his interview with Niezależna.pl, Kosztowniak stressed that “Łucznik” is crucial not only for the residents of Radom and surrounding areas, but also for the entire Polish defense sector.
While discussions about armaments increasingly focus on drones and heavy artillery, for soldiers and uniformed services it is small arms that remain the fundamental tool of defense. For this reason, the Radom-based plant constitutes the backbone of Poland’s defense capability, he argued.
Demand for weapons is growing—not only in Poland but also on export markets. One might expect this to be a golden moment for arms manufacturers, with a full pipeline of orders. Yet in the case of the Radom factory, the situation looks far from optimistic.
“On the one hand, we hear that demand for weapons is enormous. On the other, trade unions are warning about potential job losses. This is a paradoxical situation. The whole world is rearming, we have a factory with substantial production capacity, and instead of signing new contracts and hiring more workers, we are witnessing a complete reversal of logic in Radom,” he said.
“We have machines, equipment, and a skilled workforce. Yet today we hear that the factory in Radom has no orders. It must be said clearly: ‘Łucznik’ is a problem created by this government. If those in power believe everything can be purchased abroad—via the SAFE mechanism—then why not follow that path? We know we cannot build fighter jets ourselves, but we are willingly abandoning production that has existed here for a hundred years,” Kosztowniak added.
“How is it possible that a company which has produced weapons for a century—successfully selling them worldwide and gaining recognition on international markets—is now portrayed as having suddenly forgotten how to do it? That defies common sense,” the PiS MP argued.
“The strategy of this government is to maximize Poland’s external debt so that we remain dependent for decades,” he emphasized.
He also pointed to time pressure being used to push decisions through quickly—preferably by May. According to him, the SAFE mechanism clearly indicates where procurement should take place, limiting it to a small number of countries.
“They will line their pockets with contracts from Poland,” he said.
Kosztowniak cited the example of Romania to illustrate how the SAFE mechanism might operate. According to him, the German defense industry increased the price from €3 billion to €4 billion while offering older-generation equipment.
“Under time pressure, we may be forced to purchase outdated military equipment and become fully dependent—both financially and militarily—on others,” he warned.