Rheinmetall joins in Ukrainian JV on the support and manufacture of military vehicles
Rheinmetall has supplied Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine and has established a military vehicles JV with the country.(Photo: Rheinmetall)
Technology and defence company Rheinmetall has set up a Kyiv-based joint venture (JV) with Ukrainian Defense Industry JSC (UDI, the former Ukroboronprom), officially announcing on 24 October an arrangement in place since 18 October.
Cooperation between the two organisations began in May this year with Rheinmetall providing industrial support to Ukraine forces in the fight against Russia by supplying hundreds-of-thousands of rounds of large and small munitions.
On 28 September 2023, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office gave the new JV the green light, followed by approval from the relevant agencies in Poland and Ukraine in early October.
A few days later, Rheinmetall Ukrainian Defense Industry was officially registered and commenced operations with the German company owning 51% and UDI 49%.
The venture will be active in the fields of service and maintenance, as well as in the assembly, production and development of military vehicles. It will initially operate solely in Ukraine.
In a statement, Rheinmetall said: ‘Ukraine stands to benefit from this cooperation in multiple ways, including the creation and expansion of defence technology capacities in-country, additional local added value, as well as the swift delivery of military equipment from Germany.’
More from Defence Notes
-
Irish defence review highlights importance of Capability Development Unit and looks to new threats
Ireland has a small defence force in terms of personnel, equipment and budget relative to international averages but is plotting a way to change this and a recent annual review analyses that progress.
-
Turning the Hiroshima Accord into Action: Enhancing UK-Japan Defence Collaboration (Studio)
The UK-Japan strategic partnership leverages joint defence initiatives, advanced technologies, and SME integration to enhance military capabilities, foster innovation, and ensure regional and global stability through collective action and effective project management.
-
NATO countries outline strategies to accelerate defence industrial production
During the Washington Summit, member states also agreed to improve manufacturing capacities across the alliance and continue investing in joint projects with Ukraine.
-
Why the US military needs an “innovation intervention”
Several issues in the Pentagon’s structure and the defence industrial base have been hampering the country's efforts to produce cutting-edge solutions.