BRUSSELS, March 15 (Reuters) - The European Commission

on Friday announced 500 million euros ($544.30 million) in

funding awards to European companies to ramp up ammunition

production capacity under a scheme to get more shells to Ukraine

and replenish the stockpiles of European Union countries.

The funding awards under the ASAP scheme ranged from 47

million euros to 2.1 million euros for projects coordinated by

companies including Rheinmetall, Nammo, Chemring Nobel, Hellenic

Defence Systems, Eurenco and others.

"Today, the Commission allocated the €500 million foreseen

under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP)," the

Commission said in a statement.

"This will allow the European defence industry to ramp up

its ammunition production capacity to 2 million shells per year

by the end of 2025."

($1 = 0.9186 euros)