Spain has ordered 94,200 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells from Rheinmetall under a $226.3 million contract.
The ammunition will be delivered to the Spanish Army between late 2024 and late 2025, the German company said, adding that the deal includes a two-year extension option.
According to Rheinmetall, the Spanish government ordered the ER02A1 high-explosive projectiles, which boast a maximum range of 30 km in the boat-tail version and nearly 40 km in the base-bleed variant.
Notably, the BB version features a pyrotechnic device at the projectile’s base that activates after launch. The device releases combustion gases to reduce the negative pressure behind the projectile and increase its reach, the company explained.
Spain has an existing inventory of ER02A1 thanks to an earlier contract with the weapons maker. Rheinmetall said the repeat order is proof of the customer’s confidence in its reliable products, noting that it has active framework agreements with NATO member states to supply artillery ammunition in Europe.
Rheinmetall sealed the second deal with Spain after it held a ground-breaking ceremony on Feb. 12 for a new facility in Lower Saxony, Germany, that will manufacture explosives and components for rocket artillery.
On Feb. 18, the company also signed a partnership with a Ukrainian company for the future production of artillery ammunition in Ukraine.
