Rheinmetall Conquers the Pinnacle of Artillery Production, Leaving the USA Behind. According to industry forecasts, the German arms manufacturer will produce a considerable amount of artillery shells this year, potentially surpassing the entire production of the USA. A rapid development for a company that played only a minor role in artillery production just a few years ago.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Rheinmetall was hardly present in the production of artillery ammunition. However, just two years later, the situation looks completely different. The corporation plans to produce up to 450,000 artillery shells by the end of the year, a significant increase compared to the previously produced 70,000 shells per year. Industry experts even believe that Rheinmetall will produce more shells than the entire US defense industry.
This development is primarily attributable to the purchase of the Spanish ammunition manufacturer Expal, which provided the company with a production capacity of up to 300,000 shells per year. In the USA, where artillery has become increasingly less important over the last few decades, capacities also need to be ramped up to meet the enormous demand for artillery. However, experts have differing opinions on how much US arms manufacturers can expand their production.
The fact that Ukraine needs between 1.8 and 2.4 million artillery shells per year to withstand the Russian assault waves highlights the enormous need for artillery. In Europe, too, the partially depleted stockpiles need to be replenished, which ensures a sustained high demand. Rheinmetall has already invested in new production capacities and is planning further production sites in Ukraine and Lithuania.
The experiences from the Ukrainian conflict refute the assumption of US military strategists that modern technologies such as drones would render the mass use of artillery obsolete. Rheinmetall has become the leading provider in the field of artillery production through smart strategic decisions and investments and is ready to meet the demanding needs of modern warfare.
