The Spanish army lately doubled down on their artillery refresh, lodging a second buy with German protection producer, Rheinmetall, as famous on the corporate’s official web site. The recent request consists of 94,200 155mm rounds, valued at about 227 million {dollars}, due for completion by late 2026. Curiously, the deal permits an extension of as much as two years on the supply interval pushing the newest supply date to 2028.
The ammunition of alternative? The ER02A1 high-explosive [HE] rounds. These artillery shells fall below the broad portfolio of ammunition that Rheinmetall Protection, a world titan in army know-how and methods, dishes out.
About ER02A1
What makes up the ER02A1? A mix of supplies, actually. Predominantly high-quality metal kinds the casing, whereas a mixture of propellants and explosives represent the cost. Being a high-explosive kind, its core goal is to detonate upon influence, inflicting substantial harm. In essence, it’s a cocktail of chemical substances that react violently when sparked, unleashing tons of power in a cut up second.
The ER02A1 has a versatile taking pictures vary, reliant on a spectrum of things just like the form of artillery it’s mounted on, firing angle, and even atmospheric situations. Regardless, it’s primarily for artillery units with an prolonged vary, sometimes spanning a number of kilometers.
Moreover, this shell from Rheinmetall is well-suited for an array of weapon methods. Notably, the PzH 2000 and the M109 howitzer come to thoughts. The intriguing bit about these artillery items is their self-propelled nature, embodying mobility and flexibility on the battlefield.
When it comes to attain, the ER02A1 Excessive Explosive [HE] ammunition can hit targets as much as 30 kilometers away within the boat-tail [BT] model, and practically 40 kilometers when utilizing the base-bleed [BB] variant. The BB model boasts distinctive gear on the projectile’s base that heats up the air path, decreasing drag and subsequently boosting vary.
Current contracts regarding 155mm artillery ammunition reaffirm Rheinmetall’s prominence within the European ammunition manufacturing area. That is additional secured via agreements with numerous NATO nations, facilitating the regular provide of artillery rounds.
New manufacturing facility
In a bid to ramp up provide, Rheinmetall broke floor on a new manufacturing facility in Unterlues, Decrease Saxony, in February 2024, presided over by the German Chancellor. Primarily, this facility will churn out explosives and elements tailor-made for rocket artillery and, after all, artillery ammunition. Furthermore, Rheinmetall entered a memorandum of understanding with a Ukrainian company on 18th February 2024, anticipated to bolster artillery ammunition manufacturing within the nation.
As for Spain, there are many howitzers to make the most of the shells. Presently, the Spanish army operates 96 M109 self-propelled howitzers, integral to their land campaigns. Procured in two waves—late Nineteen Eighties and early ’90s—these items have been step by step delivered with the ultimate batch being delivered within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.
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