Rheinmetall starts developing new medium-calibre ammunition for the US Navy. A corresponding Other Transaction Agreement contract of the US Navy was issued to the US subsidiary American Rheinmetall Munitions, Inc., based in Stafford, Virginia. The order has a volume of USD 14.3 million. It involves prototyping a low-cost munition that will increase the effectiveness of current and future US Navy weapon systems against air and ground targets.
The aim of the work on the prototype system is the initial capability of the new airburst ammunition 30mm x 173 MK 340 MOD 0 Kinetic Energy Electronically Timed (KEET). Again, this new MK 340 KEET is based on the NATO-qualified Rheinmetall 30mm x 173 Kinetic Energy Timed Fuze (KETF) cartridge currently in service with the armed forces of Australia, Germany and Hungary. Due to its high first-hit probability, the system offers a significantly higher effect with substantially less ammunition.
American Rheinmetall Munition is currently producing solutions such as the 40mm airburst fuze for the US Army and the PGU-48/B frangible armour piercing cartridge for the US Air Force"s F35A Joint Strike Fighter. Furthermore, the company has produced and supplied high-performance training and operational ammunition for US armed forces and police authorities for several decades.
American Rheinmetall Munition is part of the American Rheinmetall family. Rheinmetall"s US defence companies also include American Rheinmetall Systems of Biddeford, Maine, American Rheinmetall Vehicles of Sterling Heights, Michigan, and US parent company American Rheinmetall Defence of Reston, Virginia.
