Rheinmetall wants to make tanks and ammunition in Ukraine

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These are joint ventures for vehicle systems, air defense and munitions, CEO Armin Papperger said in Düsseldorf on Tuesday: “In the medium and long term, we will enable Ukraine to defend itself.” Investments in new factories would come from the Ukrainian state.

As a concrete example, he mentioned the plan, which has been known for two months, to build “Panther” main battle tanks in Ukraine. According to Rheinmetall plans, there could be up to 400 units per year.

The previous talks with Kiev about the tank project are promising, the manager said at the general meeting of Germany’s largest arms company. Just as the “Lynx” infantry fighting vehicle is built in a factory in Hungary, “our newly developed “Panther” main battle tank could roll off the assembly line in a Ukrainian factory based on a similar model”. In the next ten years, demand from Ukraine will be very high.

Rheinmetall is experiencing strong growth, partly due to the increased global demand for armaments against the background of the war in Ukraine. Speaking to shareholders, Papperger said, “You can count on 2023 to be the best year in the company’s history in terms of order intake.”

The group has very large capacities for tank munitions and artillery, said the CEO. 150,000 cartridges of tank ammunition are currently produced in this way. The artillery has a capacity of up to 600,000 rounds. “We are very well positioned with the capabilities.”

A number of company critics also spoke during the online shareholders’ meeting. Ruth Rohde of the Armaments Information Office (RIB) complained that new Rheinmetall factories in Hungary would significantly expand the local arms industry and allow exports to other countries. All this is happening despite the fact that the Orban government has been dismantling democracy and the rule of law for years, the peace activist criticized. (SDA)

Source: Blick