Rheinmetall secures contract for 300,000 rounds of 35mm ammunition
The German Ministry of Defence has tasked Rheinmetall with supplying 300,000 rounds of 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft tanks currently deployed in Ukraine.
Rheinmetall has received an order from the German government to provide 300,000 rounds of 35mm ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft systems used by the Ukrainian military. The contract is valued at a low three-digit million euro amount and comprises two variants of ammunition: Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS-T) and High Explosive Incendiary (HEI-T).
Deliveries are scheduled to commence in the summer of 2023. To accommodate the contract, Rheinmetall is currently expanding its manufacturing capacity at its Unterlüß facility. The company plans to bring a new production line online by mid-2023 to address the surge in global demand for medium-calibre ammunition.
The initiative highlights the increased pressure on the European defense industrial base to replenish stocks and supply active conflicts. Rheinmetall expects to shift its production focus between the two ammunition types by mid-2024 as part of the ongoing delivery schedule.