Fresh food for German leopards

The Bundeswehr has awarded Rheinmetall an extensive framework contract for the supply of tank ammunition. By the end of 2028, 203,000 combat and practice rounds in caliber 120mm x 570 can be procured, as they are fired by the main weapon of the Leopard main battle tank, for example. The framework contract has a volume of up to 556 million euros gross. A first call-off of 15,000 pieces of DM88 with delivery still this year was already made at the beginning of December 2020. This order value amounts to 26.5 million euros gross.

The framework contract provides for the delivery of a total of 19,000 rounds of the DM11 type, 95,000 rounds of DM88, and 89,000 rounds of DM98. The DM11 is Rheinmetall's multi-purpose tank ammunition, which can be programmed in three fuse modes: impact detonation with and without delay, as well as airburst. The DM98 is the corresponding full-caliber practice ammunition, which has a reduced range and offers price advantages, but otherwise has comparable ballistic properties. In addition, the DM88 is a sub-caliber practice ammunition for the armor-piercing DM63-KE ammunition of the Bundeswehr.

With this order, Rheinmetall once again confirms its leading technological position in ammunition development and manufacturing in Europe. Considering the thereby ensured continuous production of the three types of ammunition in the contract period and a resulting shorter availability, the framework agreement indirectly offers logistical advantages to other 120mm smoothbore users. For Rheinmetall, the framework agreement represents a basic capacity utilization of tank ammunition production for the next eight years.

RHEINMETALL on the internet: www.rheinmetall-defence.com