Bundeswehr contracts Rheinmetall for mortar modernisation
Rheinmetall offers a complete range of 120mm, 81mm and 60mm ammunition families. (Photo: Rheinmetall)
Rheinmetall has received a contract valued from the German Bundeswehr to supply 120mm mortar ammunition and modernise its mortar systems.
The modernisation is set to be completed by 2023 and the contract is valued at around €27 million.
As part of the modernisation process, Rheinmetall is upgrading the 120mm mortars to fire new generation (NG) mortar rounds, which involves adding obturation rings to the tubes.
As part of this order, Rheinmetall has already delivered DM75 NG multispectral mortar rounds and DM56 NG infrared illumination mortar rounds to the Bundeswehr in 2021.
Although the type of system undergoing modernisation has not been specified, Rheinmetall currently produces the Weisel 2 120mm mortar, the 120mm Ragnarök mortar weapon system and the innovative RSG60 60mm mortar.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Wiesel 2 120mm mortar system is based on Rheinmetall’s tracked Wiesel 2 airborne armoured vehicle and is in service with the German Army’s rapid reaction forces.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Western Europe is looking to refresh its APC/IFV fleets with potential $41 billion spend
As militaries across Western Europe continue to modernise their capabilities, there are some major potential opportunities in the requirement for armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
-
US Army orders more upgraded Bradleys as transformation threatens other programmes
Compared to previous versions of the vehicle, the Bradley M2A4 upgrade includes an uprated suspension, a more powerful engine, an independent commander’s sight, a more capable electronic architecture and improved networking capabilities.
-
De-Risking the Future: Manufacturing Certainty for Unmanned Systems
How strategic manufacturing partnership solves the industrialisation triad — Scale, Compliance and Cost — for hyper-growth defence tech innovators.
-
Battlefield mobility, made in the UK
How does Britain ensure that we can preserve the lives of our soldiers and allies – now and in the future – with homegrown innovation and resilient domestic manufacturing? At Pearson Engineering, we are proud to be a central part of the answer to this increasingly important question.