Bundeswehr Secures €350M Ammunition Deal with Rheinmetall for Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle

The German Bundeswehr has issued a call-off for several hundred thousand rounds of 30mm x 173 DM21 service ammunition from an existing framework contract with Rheinmetall.

The order, valued at over €350 million, including value-added tax, is part of a broader initiative to procure medium-calibre ammunition for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle.

The Bundeswehr's budget committee, in a session on November 30, 2022, greenlit a bill for the large-scale procurement of 30mm medium-calibre ammunition. Subsequently, in December 2022, a framework contract was awarded to Rheinmetall for the supply of medium-calibre ammunition for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, with a total value of up to €576 million. The recent call-off for DM21 ammunition is the latest in a series, with follow-up orders anticipated in the coming years.

Delivery of the contracted ammunition is set to commence in 2024 and extend through 2027. The call-off is contingent on the demonstration of perfect functionality by Rheinmetall. The Puma infantry fighting vehicle, armed with the Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM, is specifically designed to fire airburst ammunition, showcasing a combination of a high rate of fire and advanced ammunition technology.

Rheinmetall produces and supplies two main types of 30mm x 173 service ammunition: the KETF DM21 (airburst) and the KE DM33 (armour-piercing), along with the DM58 practice round. These ammunition types adhere to the latest standards, ensuring unrivaled reliability, lethality, penetrating power, and precision.

The KETF DM21, standing for Kinetic Energy Time Fuse, boasts extremely reliable programming, allowing the Puma to engage larger soft targets and semi-hard area targets effectively. On the other hand, the KE DM33, part of the new generation of subcalibre Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot – Tracer (APFSDS-T) ammunition, can penetrate modern armor even at small impact angles and long engagement ranges.

The ammunition supplied by Rheinmetall equips the Puma to successfully address a diverse spectrum of targets, including armored, semi-hard, soft point, and area targets, making it a formidable weapon system for the Bundeswehr.