Rheinmetall signs agreement with UK for infantry ammo
Rheinmetall has been awarded a framework contract by the UK Ministry of Defence for the provision of infantry ammunition.
The company and the UK’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) defence procurement agency signed the framework agreement in June, Rheinmetall announced on 5 July, which will enable the repeat procurement of infantry ammunition.
It will serve as the default source of supply for specific impact rounds, ammunitions and grenades in the next 5-7 years, and has an estimated value of £90 million.
Rheinmetall continues to expand its role as a supplier of ammunition, it said, and this follows a recent Dutch armed forces renewal partnership agreement signing for the supply of ammunition, which runs through to the end of 2030.
The UK contract, which has now been renewed with the British procurement authorities, establishes Rheinmetall as the preferred supplier of 25 infantry ammunition products produced by four manufacturing locations in Germany and Switzerland.
‘We are delighted to be able to renew our long-standing supply agreement with the UK MoD and provide the British armed forces with high quality, reliable products that have been proven both operationally and in training for the last fifteen years,’ Simon Valencia, sales director for Rheinmetall Weapon and Munitions UK, said.
‘This new contract provides the UK MoD with value for money and continued confidence in re-supply of assured munitions products. The UK MoD is a key strategic partner for Rheinmetall and this new contract supports Rheinmetall’s continued growth into the UK defence market.’
DE&S is currently in the process of negotiating a portfolio of framework agreements with defence suppliers to enable repeat procurement of in-service munitions, and the contract with Rheinmetall is the first contract the agency has agreed with the munitions industry on framework terms.
More from Land Warfare
-
April land forces roundup: Munitions and long-range fires drive procurement momentum
The demand for long-range fires continues alongside the drive to increase artillery shell manufacture and the procurement of new artillery weapons.
-
Laser weapon solutions are emerging as Europe confronts air defence cost imbalance
Europe’s air defence debate is increasingly shaped by the blunt economics of the field. While high-value interceptor missiles can effectively shoot down cheap drones, doing so at scale presents cost challenges.
-
Is the RCH 155 self-propelled wheeled howitzer for the British Army finally on the way?
The Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm self-propelled gun is making strong progress, with contracts being placed and production capacity being boosted for the base Boxer vehicle.
-
ARX Robotics expands in UK following British Army backing for uncrewed platforms
Following an order from the British Army, ARX Robotics has begun manufacturing autonomous ground platforms in the UK. Christopher Foss examines the company's growing range of systems.
-
Textron unveils a smaller, low-cost variant of the Ripsaw family of UGVs
Ripsaw M1 has been designed to support the US Marine Corps’ littoral missions by carrying diverse types of payloads and performing multiple missions. Shephard spoke with Textron to find out more.
-
UK plans to adopt “phased approach to restarting” British Army Ajax programme
The introduction of Ajax vehicles into British Army service was stopped after health issues during an exercise. However, an investigation reported “no single causal mechanism of the symptoms reported by our soldiers but rather a combination of multiple factors”.