Berlin: The German army plans to significantly increase its order of artillery shells from arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, according to a letter from the Defence Ministry to parliament’s budget committee, seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
The document outlines the army’s intention to procure an additional 200,000 155mm artillery shells, valued at approximately 880 million euros ($960 million), under its existing framework agreement with Rheinmetall. This is in addition to a previously agreed-upon 1.2 billion euro deal for several hundred thousand shells, fuses, and charges.
The additional shells are intended to replenish the army’s reserves as Germany continues to supply Ukraine in its conflict against the Russian military, which began its invasion in 2022.
As Western governments reinforce their military capabilities and restock supplies after providing substantial support to Kyiv, Rheinmetall has experienced a sharp increase in orders. The company’s market value has more than quadrupled since the onset of the war in Ukraine.
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The Defence Ministry aims to ensure that Rheinmetall can establish a new production line in Unterlüß, a town in central Germany, by placing this expanded order. Rheinmetall, one of the world’s largest producers of artillery and tank shells, has been scaling up production in response to the heightened demand caused by the conflict in Ukraine. European manufacturers have been struggling to meet this increased demand.
The expanded order was first reported by Der Spiegel magazine, highlighting the significant boost in Germany’s military procurement efforts.
