Ukraine has awarded Rheinmetall a contract to supply long-range 155mm artillery ammunition, reinforcing the German defense company’s support for Kyiv’s artillery capabilities.
The order, with a value in the high double-digit millions of euros, covers a low five-figure quantity of ER02A1 B/B projectiles and M203 propellant charges.
This ammunition package is already used by several NATO members and is compatible with a wide range of 155mm artillery systems.
Rheinmetall said production is already underway at its Rheinmetall Expal Munitions facility in Spain, with deliveries scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2027.
Since 2022, the German firm has invested in increasing manufacturing capacity at existing plants while establishing new production sites, with a goal of producing around 1.5 million 155mm artillery shells annually by 2030.
Rheinmetall’s Ukraine Footprint
Rheinmetall is the main defense contractor able to supply Ukraine with large quantities of newly manufactured medium- and large-caliber ammunition.
Its portfolio for Kyiv includes 20mm ammunition for the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, 35mm rounds for the Gepard anti-aircraft system, 40mm ammunition, 105mm and 120mm tank rounds, as well as the Skynex air defense system.
However, the company recently faced criticism after CEO Armin Papperger dismissed Ukraine’s drone industry as akin to housewives with 3D printers and compared drone production to playing with Legos.
Rheinmetall addressed the issue by saying that it has the “utmost respect for the Ukrainian people’s immense efforts in defending themselves.”
