Rheinmetall announced that it had received a contract from the German Federal Defence Ministry to deliver 155mm artillery ammunition worth up to €8.5 billion. The Duesseldorf-based technology group Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) signed the contract on 20 June 2024. The order’s primary goal is to replenish the stocks the Bundeswehr and its allies hold while supporting Ukraine’s defence campaign. Deliveries will begin at the beginning of 2025.
The Federal Republic of Germany will be the principal purchaser, with part of the supplies going to Ukraine. The ranking also includes the Netherlands, Estonia, and Denmark partner countries.
Rheinmetall will manufacture the entire value chain for artillery ammunition in Unterluess, Lower Saxony so that it can provide the “full shot” from a single source: the projectile, the fuse, the explosive charge, and the propellant charge that propels the projectile out of the barrel when fired. Starting with the second year of manufacturing, an annual capacity of 100,000 projectiles will be reached on-site, escalating to 200,000 per year.
