Rheinmetall receives order for millions-of-euros of 35mm ammunition
Rheinmetall 35mm AHEAD ammunition can be used with the Skynex air defence system. (Photo: Rheinmetall)
Each round of Rheinmetall’s AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency and Destruction) ammunition has been programmed to eject its payload of 152 tungsten sub-projectiles at the optimum point to destroy the target.
Rheinmetall has received an order from a European customer for AHEAD 35mm ammunition worth a low triple-digit million euro amount. Under the terms of the deal a six-digit number of cartridges will be manufactured.
AHEAD ammunition can be used with the Skynex air defence system. It has been designed to be less expensive than guided missiles or ammunition and is immune to electronic countermeasures. Skynex was based on cannon-based air defence for close-range protection where guided weapons can be less effective.
The customer for the AHEAD ammunition was not disclosed. In March last year, however, Rheinmetall was awarded a further contract to supply Skynex air defence systems to a European customer. Earlier this year it was disclosed that Ukraine was using the system and Skynex has been ordered by Romania and Austria.
The deliveries in March 2023 were planned to take place over the course of 2025 and, as with the initial contract, will also include the associated Rheinmetall-made HX trucks.
The company said the system was capable of neutralising incoming rockets, artillery and mortar rounds, as well as bringing down UAS in the low, slow, small (LSS) subset such as quadrocopter drones. The system can also target conventional aircraft flying at close ranges.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![UK fires Archer for first time in live-fire exercise]()
UK fires Archer for first time in live-fire exercise
Exercise Dynamic Front 25 is part of a series of NATO exercises that will run until 26 November.
-
![Milrem picks Texelis for partnership in drive to develop large UGV]()
Milrem picks Texelis for partnership in drive to develop large UGV
Milrem has delivered or is building a total of 200 Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System UGVs and has chosen Texelis as partner in its effort to develop a UGV.
-
![Sweden takes delivery of first M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system]()
Sweden takes delivery of first M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system
The most recent nation to join NATO has joined other member nations in using the M3 system.
-
![CV90 delivery to Slovakia imminent]()
CV90 delivery to Slovakia imminent
Slovakia is undergoing a radical refresh of its equipment, like many central and eastern European countries, and the arrival of new vehicles will form a substantial part of this.
-
![Mortar mobility: Patria’s TREMOS takes aim at the modern battlespace]()
Mortar mobility: Patria’s TREMOS takes aim at the modern battlespace
In conversation... Patria’s Lauri Pauniaho talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about how high mobility levels are essential for mortar systems in the face of modern counter-battery fire, and how a new platform-agnostic module can combine existing vehicles and mortar barrels into a cost-effective new weapon system.
-
![BAE Systems to continue work on active protection system for US Army]()
BAE Systems to continue work on active protection system for US Army
BAE Systems Multi-Class Soft Kill System (MCSKS) countermeasure system has been designed to provide protection without the need for kinetic effort and will reduce the logistic chain required for protection.
