German arms company Rheinmetall has booked a further order for artillery ammunition under a framework agreement with the German government, with all the ammunition earmarked for Ukraine. The order is worth a figure in the mid-three-digit million-euro range.
The third call-off under the framework agreement encompasses the delivery of over a hundred thousand 155 mm shells from Rheinmetall’s new Spanish subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions as well as additional DM 121 high-explosive rounds. Tens of thousands of rounds are to be delivered in 2023, with the remainder due to ship in 2024.
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This order comes in addition to the two large call-offs that Rheinmetall has already received under the framework agreement, which was signed in July 2023. The overall agreement encompasses the delivery of several hundred thousand shells, fuses and propelling charges, with a gross potential order volume of around €1.2 billion.
The war in Ukraine has compelled the armed forces of numerous nations to replenish their ammunition stocks. Rheinmetall has already booked several large orders for artillery ammunition in this context, including a contract to supply hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to the German ground forces, both to replace those transferred to Ukraine and to increase the overall reserve.
Rheinmetall’s family of artillery ammunition includes a wide range of products, including the high-explosive DM121 shell, the DM125 smoke/obscurant projectile and (jointly developed with Diehl) the DM702 SMArt sensor fuse munition, plus the RH68 practice round and the range-optimized RH1901 and RH1902 smoke/obscurant projectiles. The Group’s portfolio also includes the versatile 155 mm Assegai family from Rheinmetall Denel Munition, which encompasses insensitive ammunition and conventional HE shells as well as smoke/obscurant, illumination, infrared illumination and other projectiles. All Assegai artillery ammunition types have a maximum range of approximately 40 kilometres. Under the latest framework agreement, the tried-and-tested Assegai ammunition family will now be entering service with the Bundeswehr.
Rheinmetall’s ability to quickly ramp up production of artillery ammunition is playing an important role in supporting Ukraine’s war effort. The company is committed to delivering the ammunition that Ukraine needs, as quickly as possible.
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