In April 2023 the Dutch and Danish governments announced their intention to jointly acquire Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks for donation to Ukraine. The Dutch government therefore contracted with Rheinmetall to supply fourteen Leopard 2A4 MBTs, worth a figure in the lower three-digit million-euro range. The Dutch and Danish government are jointly financing the order as part of the international tank coalition to provide effective support for Ukraine. Officials of the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany and representatives of Rheinmetall recently signed an agreement to this effect. The first vehicle is scheduled for delivery in January 2024, with the last due to ship in the course of the year. The vehicles are upgraded Leopard 2A4 tanks acquired by Rheinmetall from the inventories of user nations.
The transaction underscores Rheinmetall’s role as an important supplier of materiel to the Ukrainian armed forces. It is just the latest in a series of actions taken by the Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise in support of Ukraine’s defensive war effort. In the meantime, Rheinmetall is the embattled country’s sole source of large-volume shipments of new medium- and large-calibre ammunition, including 20mm rounds for the Marder IFV’s automatic cannon and 105mm and 120mm tank ammunition for the main armament of the Ukrainian Army’s Leopard I and Leopard 2 MBTs. A first lot of 35mm ammunition for the Gepard antiaircraft tank will soon be ready for shipment as well.
Rheinmetall has also been instrumental in supplying the Ukrainian military with substantial numbers of combat vehicles, whether through multilateral “Ringtausch” exchange programmes with partner nations or via direct deliveries. Back in March 2023, for instance, Rheinmetall shipped twenty Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine at the behest of the German government. A second lot of twenty of these tried-and-tested vehicles is due to ship this summer.
By the end of 2023, Rheinmetall will also be supplying Ukraine with 26 brand-new military trucks and two state-of-the-art air defence systems. The support effort also encompasses SurveilSPIRE mobile reconnaissance systems with day- and night-capable cameras and autopiloted mini-drones. The Group is also furnishing Ukraine with a field hospital system consisting of containers and tents as well as a container-based mobile surgical station for initial treatment of trauma cases, both of which will be a vital source of support for the Ukrainian military in the coming months.
