Raipur’s Special Blasts Ltd to Scale up Military-Grade Explosives Output to 8,000 MTPA From 3,000 MTPA Currently

Raipur — Special Blasts Limited (SBL) is set to increase production of military-grade explosives from 3,000 to 8,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA). The move is part of a major expansion that includes new lines for TNT as well as high-energy materials such as RDX and HMX, and the company is preparing to make fully integrated ammunition (including 155 mm artillery shells) at the enlarged site.

This article explains, in simple terms, what the announced rise to 8,000 MTPA means — and gives a practical estimate of how many rounds that volume of explosive could fill. (Numbers below are estimates based on typical explosive-filler weights; actual final outputs will vary with product mix, manufacturing losses, allocation to propellants vs. bursters, and government contracts.)

What the expansion covers

• SBL will boost capacity at its plant to 8,000 MTPA (up from 3,000). The expansion reportedly includes increased TNT output and new production for HMX/RDX, and the company intends to move into integrated ammunition production (not just explosive filler).

• The project involves significant capital expenditure and land approvals; SBL has sought additional land to house the expanded units and related infrastructure.

How we estimate “how much ammunition” 8,000 MTPA could make

Assumption used: 8,000 metric tonnes = 8,000,000 kilograms of explosive filler per year.
Below are example calculations using typical explosive filling weights for common munitions. These are illustrative only — the real mix (TNT, RDX, HMX, Comp B, burster/booster charges, fuzes, propellant, casing, waste) will change the outcome.

Representative explosive-filler weights used for examples:

• 155 mm (M107-type) — about 6.6–6.9 kg of explosive filler per shell.

• 155 mm (M795-type / higher-energy designs) — around 10.8 kg of explosive filler per shell.

• 122 mm artillery — roughly ~3.4 kg of explosive filler.

• 81 mm mortar — roughly 0.7 kg of explosive filler per round.

• 120 mm mortar — roughly 1.5–2.0 kg of explosive filler per round.

Using those typical filler weights and 8,000,000 kg of explosive per year, the estimated number of filled warheads (rounded down) is:

• 155 mm (M107, ~6.86 kg filler): ≈ 1,166,180 shells per year.

• 155 mm (M795, ~10.8 kg filler): ≈ 740,740 shells per year.

• 122 mm (~3.46 kg filler): ≈ 2,312,138 shells per year.

• 81 mm mortar (~0.7 kg filler): ≈ 11,428,571 mortar bombs per year.

• 120 mm mortar (~2.0 kg filler): ≈ 4,000,000 mortar bombs per year.

(These calculations divide 8,000,000 kg by the listed filler weight and round down to whole rounds — they show order of magnitude, not the precise production plan.)

What the numbers mean, in plain language

• Scale: 8,000 MTPA of explosive filler is a very large annual output for a private-sector plant and would let SBL supply millions of small mortar rounds or hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, depending on how the explosives are allocated.

• Product mix matters: If SBL dedicates more output to high-energy explosives (RDX/HMX) or to sophisticated warheads/loitering munitions, the number of finished rounds will drop (because those warheads often use different formulations or more mass goes to casings and electronics). If the focus is bulk TNT filler for conventional HE shells, the numerical counts above are more applicable.

• Other uses: Not all explosive output becomes filled artillery shells. Some goes to boosters, shaped charges, propellant charges, demolition charges, training/industrial explosives, or is set aside as stock. Manufacturing yield losses and quality-control rejects also reduce the final count.

• Strategic effect: For the defence industrial base, a big private expansion can help replenish stocks more quickly, support export opportunities, and reduce pressure on public munitions factories — but it also requires rigorous licensing, safety, and environmental oversight.

SBL’s jump to 8,000 MTPA is a major scale-up: in straight-fill terms it could translate to hundreds of thousands of artillery shells or millions of mortar bombs per year, depending on the type of ammunition produced. These are estimates to help understand scale — actual outputs will depend on SBL’s product mix, how much is used for propellants or non-munition purposes, and contract priorities set by defence customers.