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The shells reportedly have increased range and improved precision.
German defense giant Rheinmetall has secured a major contract to supply thousands of 155 mm artillery shells and propellant charges to Ukraine.
According to a company statement issued on July 8, an unnamed NATO member state placed the order.
The undisclosed buyer is paying a price in the mid-double-digit millions of euros.
The Düsseldorf-based defense company has already begun manufacturing the ammunition.
Production is moving quickly, with the entire order scheduled for delivery before April 2027.
Gearing up for 2030
Rheinmetall also announced that it will make significant investments in its existing production facilities while constructing new manufacturing sites to meet the growing global demand for modern artillery.
The company launched this manufacturing expansion strategy in 2022. It has helped position Rheinmetall as one of the world’s leading suppliers of munitions. By 2030, the company aims to produce approximately 1.5 million artillery shells annually.
The contract follows another major announcement made just 24 hours earlier. Rheinmetall and U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin announced a landmark partnership to establish Europe’s first production facility for ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.
According to the joint company announcement, the new production line will be integrated into a major facility in Germany.
Extra range and improved precision
According to Rheinmetall, the package consists of specialized Base Bleed projectiles. These are manufactured by its Spanish subsidiary, Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, while another division supplies the modular propellant charges.
Together, they provide troops with greater range and improved precision.
These munitions are already in active service with several NATO countries. Because they are fully compatible with standard Western weapon systems, Ukrainian forces can deploy them immediately without requiring extensive additional training.
