The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) has placed two separate orders with Rheinmetall for production and supply of 40-mm ammunition for automatic grenade launchers. Rheinmetall will thus be supplying tens of thousands of programmable 40 mm x 53 Airburst Munition (ABM) DM131 service cartridges. This order is worth around €29.5 million, including value added tax. The Bundeswehr has also placed an order for around 200,000 rounds of 40 mm x 53 Üb DM158 practice ammunition, worth around €7.18 million, once again including VAT. Delivery of the ammunition is to be complete in 2024.

All Rheinmetall high explosive HV and MV cartridges can be equipped with a unique, jamming-proof, affordable airburst time-delay capability. Rheinmetall’s 40 mm x 53 high-velocity ammunition can be fired from any standard 40mm automatic grenade launcher. The rounds attain a maximum velocity of more than 240 m/s and have a maximum effective range of 2,200 metres. The Group’s wide assortment of cartridges in this segment includes the just-ordered programmable 40 mm x 53 ABM. Because the rounds can be timed to detonate in the air, it is possible to engage troops taking cover behind walls, etc. The 40 mm x 53 ABM, which the Bundeswehr refers to as the DM131, is qualified for use by the German armed forces.

In the low velocity (LV) field Rheinmetall offers products for operations of all types: practice cartridges, impulse/less-than-lethal, sound & flash, and irritant cartridges for peacekeeping and peace enforcement, as well as high explosive, illumination and smoke/obscurant ammunition for high intensity warfare. Rheinmetall’s high velocity (HV) cartridges also use a proven, patented propulsion unit that produces very low standard deviation in muzzle velocity, resulting in excellent accuracy.Rheinmetall’s new medium-velocity (MV) cartridges offer the same high degree of accuracy as the company’s HV cartridges.

A one-stop shop for 40mm systems, Rheinmetall is one of the world’s leading suppliers of ammunition, weapon systems and fire control and aiming technology. Developed and qualified in accordance with the latest standards, the ammunition types now on order are unequalled worldwide in terms of combat effectiveness and precision. Moreover, the design status of the two cartridges fully corresponds to the stipulations contained in the European directive covering the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Other NATO armed forces have this advanced munition in their inventories as well.