August M
Europe’s ability to sustain a major military conflict could be severely limited due to a shortage of ammunition, according to the head of Germany’s largest defence manufacturer.
Armin Papperger, chief executive of Rheinmetall, said current stockpiles across the continent are dangerously low and could run out quickly in the event of large-scale combat.
In an interview with the newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Papperger warned that “almost no one in Europe has enough (ammunition. — TMT)”.
He said the company is preparing a significant expansion in production capacity, aiming to raise its annual output of artillery shells from about 70,000 to 1.5 million by 2030, reports Digi24.ro.
Surging demand
The Rheinmetall chief also pointed to rising demand for armoured vehicles, noting that modern battlefields increasingly require stronger protection for troops against drones and missile attacks.
According to Papperger, Rheinmetall’s order backlog has grown to nearly €70 billion and could double within the next year.
Many of the contracts currently in the pipeline are scheduled for delivery toward the end of the decade, particularly between 2029 and 2030.
Europe buying more weapons
Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reflects the rapid increase in defence procurement across the continent.
Over the past five years, European arms imports have more than tripled, making the region the largest buyer of weapons globally with 33 percent of total deliveries.
Nearly half of those imports, about 48 percent, have come from the United States, whose arms exports to Europe increased by 217 percent during the same period.
Ukraine driving innovation
Russian weapons exports have fallen sharply over the same timeframe, declining by about 64 percent and leaving Moscow with a 6.8 percent share of the global arms market.
As Europe tries to strengthen its own defence industry, several initiatives have focused on cooperation with Ukraine.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a programme known as “Build With Ukraine” allows European countries to access Ukrainian military technologies developed during the war.
One example is the “Linz” drone factory near Munich, a joint venture between Germany’s Quantum Systems and Ukraine’s Frontline Robotics, where roughly 80 percent of employees are Ukrainian.
Germany has allocated more than €11 billion in military aid to Ukraine this year, including up to €2 billion aimed at supporting joint production projects.
Sources: Digi24, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, SIPRI, The Wall Street Journal
