Rheinmetall ships Gepard ammunition to Ukraine
Rheinmetall AG has sent its first shipment of new 35mm ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank to Ukraine. Production has been relocated to Germany.
German defence contractor Rheinmetall AG has shipped the first lot of new 35mm ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank to Ukraine. The company has established new production capacity in Germany and the initial shipment is now en route to support Ukraine's defence efforts.
The German government has supplied Ukraine with 46 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, with six more to follow. These systems have proven effective against Russian drone attacks. High operational tempo means significant ammunition consumption, making a continuous supply chain crucial.
Rheinmetall has invested a multi-million euro sum in a new production facility in Unterlüss, Germany, to ensure a secure supply of ammunition. The company signed a contract for the rapid delivery of 300,000 rounds in February 2023. Establishing the new facility and developing the ammunition required a significant technological and logistical undertaking.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger stated the company keeps its promises, delivering the ammunition as agreed just six months after the contract signing. He thanked the employees and suppliers involved in achieving the project's success.
Due to the retirement of the Gepard systems from service years ago, Germany lacked domestic stocks of this specific ammunition. The new production involved a mix of reverse engineering and adapting existing 35mm ammunition from other platforms, a process requiring collaboration among experts in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.