Rheinmetall denies Challenger 2 upgrade contract speculation
Rheinmetall has poured cold water on social media speculation about signing a £750 million ($1.4 billion) contract from the UK to upgrade Challenger 2 MBTs, saying instead that is still negotiating with the MoD. The future of the MBT Life Extension Programme will be defined by the second part of the Integrated Review.
After speculation ran on social media on 18 March saying that Rheinmetall and the UK MoD have signed a £750 million ($1.4 billion) contract to upgrade the Challenger 2, the German company claimed that that is still negotiating an agreement but remains confident of a positive outcome.
A spokesperson for Rheinmetall told Shephard that its UK joint venture RBSL is still in talks with the MoD. He explained that during an 18 March presentation on financial results for 2020 and ongoing group projects, CEO Armin Papperger said that Rheinmetall is confident that the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (LEP) contract
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Land Warfare
-
![South Korean companies turning necessity into export opportunity]()
South Korean companies turning necessity into export opportunity
South Korea’s particular geopolitical situation and threat environment has created a defence industry ecosystem of substantial size and breadth.
-
![“A new philosophy of defence”: ASELSAN sets out ambitions for the future]()
“A new philosophy of defence”: ASELSAN sets out ambitions for the future
In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to ASELSAN CEO and President Ahmet Akyol about how the business has evolved and expanded over the past five decades, and its aim of becoming a top 30 global defence company by 2030.
-
![Still no clarity on the future of the British Army’s new wheeled artillery system]()
Still no clarity on the future of the British Army’s new wheeled artillery system
The UK donated its AS90 155mm/39cal tracked self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine ahead of planned retirement and bought Archer platforms to fill the gap. Eventually RCH 155s were ordered but the procurement effort remains under a cloud.
