The German army intends to order from arms manufacturer Rheinmetall 200,000 artillery shells in more than planned, reports "Reuters" and "Spiegel", quoted by News.bg.
A letter from the Ministry of Defense to parliament's budget committee shows that the army plans to receive 200,000 additional 155mm artillery shells worth around 880 million euros as part of its agreement with the defense company.
A €1.2 billion deal has already been reached for several hundred thousand shells, fuses and charges.
The new shells are intended to replenish the army's reserves while Germany helps supply Ukraine, which has been fighting the Russian army since 2022.
Western governments are increasing their armies and replenishing their stockpiles, following arms deliveries to Kiev. Against this background, Rheinmetall, whose market value has more than quadrupled since the start of the war in Ukraine, reported a sharp increase in orders.
With the order, the German Ministry of Defense also wants to ensure that Rheinmetall can set up a new production line in the central German city of Unterlues.
Rheinmetall, one of the world's biggest makers of artillery and tank shells, has begun ramping up production after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, where the need for ammunition has exacerbated shortages and left European manufacturers scrambling to meet demand.