Symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the Rheinmetall plant with Chancellor Scholz, Defense Minister Pistorius and Denmark's Prime Minister Frederiksen
February 12, 2024: Construction begins on Rheinmetall AG's “Lower Saxony Plant” in Unterlüß. In view of the now strategic importance of ammunition production for both Ukraine's defense campaign and the defense capability of the NATO states as a whole, around 250 international guests came to the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony in Südheide.
Rheinmetall will dort künftig Artilleriemunition, Sprengstoff und Komponenten für Raketenartillerie fertigen. Ab 2025 sollen pro Jahr rund 200.000 Artilleriegranaten, bis zu 1.900 Tonnen RDX-Sprengstoff und 3.000 Raketenmotoren produziert werden.
“To secure Germany’s strategic sovereignty in the area of ammunition production, we are creating a national production facility that sets new standards and, above all, will ensure the supply of the Bundeswehr and our European partners,” emphasized the CEO of Rheinmetall AG, Armin Papperger, in his welcome address. “A European center for the production of artillery ammunition and other effectors is being created. The time for talking is over. The time for action has arrived.” Rheinmetall is investing 300 million euros in Unterlüß, and construction is expected to take one year. Around 500 jobs are to be created.
Die Ministerpräsidentin von Dänemark, Mette Frederiksen, lobte den Freiheitskampf der ukrainischen Soldaten. Sie setzten sich für unser aller Sicherheit ein. Dänemark helfe der Ukraine unter anderem durch F-16 Jets und Leopard Kampfpanzer. Sie lobte Deutschland für seine Führungsrolle bei der Unterstützung des Landes. „Wir müssen gemeinsam liefern“, betonte sie und würdigte die Anstrengungen von Rheinmetall zur Produktion von Artilleriemunition.
It is a special day, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz. With the new plant, Rheinmetall is creating the basis for an independent and sustainable supply of artillery ammunition. “For far too long, arms policy has been pursued like buying a car. That's not how armor works. If no orders are placed for years, no production will take place,” stated Scholz. Rheinmetall quickly stepped into the breach in this critical situation. The Chancellor promised that Germany would devote two percent of its GDP to defense now and in the future. “The Bundeswehr should once again become one of the most efficient conventional armed forces in Europe.”
This day in Unterlüß sent a signal: “It can happen quickly!” The construction project is exemplary. The Chancellor emphasized that a strong defense also requires a strong arms industry. The company’s employees worked “for the good of our country!”
The Unterlüß location
Rheinmetall produces a whole range of weapon systems in Unterlüß with 2,500 employees. The production includes armored tracked and wheeled vehicles, reconnaissance systems, weapons systems for tanks and artillery, systems for infantry as well as various types of ammunition, such as the SMArt 155 search fuse ammunition for artillery. The largest private test and experimental area in Europe is also located there. It is easy to identify on the map by the ten kilometer long shooting area to the north.
Due to its extensive deliveries and support services to Ukraine, Rheinmetall sees itself as the country's most important defense industrial partner. In addition to the short-term provision of military material, it is also about building up our own capacities in Ukraine. The Düsseldorf-based group founded Rheinmetall Ukrainian Defense Industry LLC in October 2023 - a joint venture with the Ukrainian state-owned company Ukrainian Defense Industry JSC. In addition to the maintenance and repair work on emergency vehicles that is already taking place, armored vehicles are also to be built in Ukraine in the long term, for example transport vehicles or armored personnel carriers.
Burghard Lindhorst
Related topics
France is supplying tanks of its own production to Ukraine for the first time
USA delivers Gepard anti-aircraft tanks from Jordan to Ukraine
Britain promises Ukraine Challenger main battle tanks
New armored personnel carriers for the army: Now it's politics' turn
37. US military aid package for Ukraine
Three Patriot systems and the second IRIS-T SLM handed over to Ukraine
Ukraine hosts drone hackathon
Role 2 field hospital for Ukraine
Ukrainians are continually trained on Western F-16s