On 29 September, Rheinmetall announced that, under the contract, its subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions will manufacture the 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds. Of the total deal value, €170 million has already been allocated under an initial order, with a further €274 million expected under subsequent calls.
The customer remains officially unnamed, but analysts point to Ukraine as the most likely recipient, given that among Eastern European states it faces the most acute shortage of these types of ammunition.
Read more: Secret Rheinmetall FV-014 Stealth UAV reportedly in Ukraine, Company Subtly Hints
However, this remains an informed inference rather than a confirmed fact — shells under the contract could potentially be redirected elsewhere, depending on operational needs amid ongoing russian aggression. If the rounds are indeed destined for Ukraine, the arrangement would allow the United States to support Kyiv without directly drawing on its own stocks or production capacity.
Technical Details: The 155 mm rounds planned for delivery are standard M107 projectiles, compatible with all 155 mm artillery systems, and will be supplied with M4A2 propellant charges. The 105 mm rounds are M1 projectiles, used in M101, M119, L119, and OTO Melara Mod.56 guns — all systems already in service with Ukraine.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026, with final shipments expected by June 2027, representing a production and delivery window of roughly one to one-and-a-half years for the full quantity.
For context, Rheinmetall has established the largest 155 mm shell production facility in Europe within a record 15 months. A caveat: the plant's planned output this year is only around 25,000 rounds, highlighting the scale challenge in meeting large ammunition demands.
Read more: Rheinmetall Ammo Plant in Ukraine Nears Opening, Though With a Few Months Delay
