Rheinmetall plans to provide Ukraine with shells for Gepard systems

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger shared the information, Reuters reports.

Rheinmetall launched the production line after Switzerland refused to allow the export of 35mm ammunition for Gepard to Ukraine.

According to Papperger, in July, Rheinmetall will supply the first 35 mm shells made on the new production line in Germany.

"The government has ordered 300,000 rounds... We will certainly deliver some 40,000 to 60,000 rounds this year," he said.

In addition, Papperger said that the new contract with the German government will be worth several billion euros, and he hopes that Rheinmetall, one of the largest producers of artillery guns and tank shells in the world, will be able to announce it in the next 6 weeks.

"Germany is about to seal a large framework contract with us," he told Reuters in an interview in Brussels, where he was attending the first-ever joint meeting of NATO defense ministers and about 20 defense industry executives.

Throughout the year, Papperger expects defense orders worth "double-digit" billions of euros.

"It will certainly be our best year ever as regards order intake," he said, adding that he expects a range of deals in vehicles, ammunition, electronics and radar systems.

• On June 1, Pentagon reported that the American company Global Military Products was awarded a contract from the US Department of Defense for more than USD 118 million to purchase and supply Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems for Ukraine.