Rheinmetall has announced a €20 million ($22.4 million) investment to expand ammunition manufacturing at its Albacete facility in Spain, increasing production capacity for millions of medium-calibre ammunition components annually.
The new production line is expected to manufacture approximately 1.2 million projectiles and 1.8 million cartridge cases each year. The expansion will also strengthen mortar manufacturing capabilities and increase the site’s workforce from around 210 to 300 employees.
The components will support Rheinmetall’s broader European manufacturing network, including its facility in Burgos, Spain, where they can be assembled into ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles, anti-aircraft guns, and counter-drone systems. The product portfolio includes armour-piercing projectiles and AHEAD ammunition, which uses programmable airburst technology to engage aerial threats.
Expansion of Mortar Production
Alongside medium-calibre ammunition manufacturing, Rheinmetall plans to expand mortar production at Albacete. Annual capacity is expected to reach 40 Dual-Eimos 81mm mortar systems and more than 650 mortars across the 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm calibres.
The investment is part of the company’s broader effort to increase production capacity and strengthen ammunition supply chains in response to growing European defence requirements.
Rheinmetall’s Firepower Project
Under its wider Firepower initiative, Rheinmetall aims to achieve the following annual production capacities by 2030:
– 155mm artillery ammunition: 1.5 million rounds
– 120mm tank ammunition: 240,000 rounds
– Medium-calibre ammunition: 4 million rounds
The programme extends beyond Spain, with Rheinmetall constructing a new ammunition manufacturing facility in Unterlüß, Germany, and another in Baisogala, Lithuania, while also expanding existing production sites.
Through these investments, Rheinmetall is seeking to scale up European ammunition manufacturing, improve the availability of critical defence supplies, and support the operational requirements of European armed forces and allied customers.
