Germany orders Rheinmetall artillery shells
Rheinmetall has received a contract from the German Bundeswehr to supply its 155mm DM121 artillery ammunition, the company announced on 8 April.
The five-year contract, worth around €109 million, includes the delivery of over 32,000 rounds. The contract also has an option for the further supply of 11,000 rounds.
The 155mm DM121 can attain ranges of up to 30km when fired from the PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer. The high explosive round can also be used in training operations and field exercises.
The DM121 is capable of penetrating a several-centimetre-thick wall of reinforced concrete before detonating in a controlled way on the opposite side. The insensitive explosive also protects friendly forces if the ammunition is hit by hostile fire or exposed to other forms of mechanical stress.
Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2019. This new contract follows a first batch of 30,000 procured by the Bundeswehr in 2009.
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