Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH

Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (RWM), based in Unterlüß, is a leading supplier of weapon systems and ammunition for infantry, direct and indirect fire, as well as for pyrotechnics and protection systems. In addition to its headquarters in Unterlüß, RWM has branches in Düsseldorf, Neuenburg, Oberndorf, Silberhütte, Trittau, Schneizlreuth/Fronau and Rijswijk in the Netherlands. 
 

1. RWM specializes in the development and production of large calibre weapon systems and ammunition, including for example the main armament of the Leopard 2, the world's top-performing tank and the SMArt 155 sensor-fuzed ammunition for the artillery.
    
2. Together with RWM Schweiz AG, the company also forms a centre of excellence for medium calibre automatic cannon, weapon systems and ammunition. Its chief products include vehicle-mounted weapons, aircraft cannons, naval guns and ammunition, as well as ammunition for anti-aircraft systems.
    
3. Furthermore, protection systems and pyrotechnics are part of the RWM range of products, rounded off by the range of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Arges GmbH. These include, for example, the MASS naval countermeasures system as well as practice ammunition, 40 mm ammunition, non-lethal agents, flash and stun grenades (used by numerous SWAT teams), and other pyrotechnics.
    
4. In addition, the product range is rounded out by a wide array of services, like training courses for operating and maintenance as well as life cycle services which become more and more important.
    
5. At Unterluess (northern Germany) and Ochsenboden (Switzerland), Rheinmetall operates the largest and best-equipped private-sector proving grounds in Europe. On behalf of the company's domestic and foreign customers, systems and components are subjected to comprehensive testing at both proving grounds, while defence technology quality inspections are carried out during all stages of the product development process.

History

In 2004, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH was formed by a step-by-step merger of Rheinmetall W&M GmbH, Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH, BUCK Neue Technologien GmbH, Pyrotechnik Silberhuette GmbH and NICO-Pyrotechnik Hanns-Jürgen Diederichs GmbH & Co. KG. Rheinmetall thus brought under centralized, streamlined management an important part of its weapon and munitions's activities.