23/09/2026 | Story
Rheinmetall: A powerful partner at Ukraine’s side
Rheinmetall has been one of Ukraine’s most important industrial partners from the very outset and is providing strong support to the country in its defence against Russian aggression. Its extensive deliveries and services include, in particular, large- and medium-calibre ammunition, sophisticated air defence systems and combat vehicles. In addition, the company provides strategically essential, satellite-based intelligence as well as mobile medical facilities for the provision of medical care.
The joint venture Rheinmetall Ukrainian Defense Industry LLC, based in Ukraine, has been in existence since October 2023. Since June 2024, combat vehicles have been repaired and maintained in western Ukraine under the umbrella of the joint venture. In addition to its operational activities, Rheinmetall is also continuing to expand its institutional presence in the country.
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What Rheinmetall is doing to support Ukraine:
Ammunition
Rheinmetall is the Ukrainian armed forces’ main source of supply for large quantities of modern large- and medium-calibre ammunition.
Less than a year after its official opening, attended by numerous senior politicians and military figures, the Düsseldorf-based technology group’s new plant in Lower Saxony has already produced a five-figure number of 155mm artillery rounds for Ukraine. In total, hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery rounds have already been delivered to the country.
In addition, the defence group has supplied Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of rounds of 35mm ammunition for the “Gepard” anti-aircraft gun armoured vehicle, as well as 120mm main battle tank ammunition and mortar rounds. The company also supplies medium-calibre ammunition for the modern Skynex and Skyranger air defence systems. The total number of rounds of ammunition supplied to Ukraine to date since the full-scale Russian invasion – across all calibre sizes – runs into several million.
Combat vehicles
Marder and Lynx infantry fighting vehicles
Rheinmetall is also providing substantial support in the area of combat vehicles, either through direct deliveries or as part of circular exchange programmes with partner nations such as Greece, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Under these arrangements, the partners receive Western systems in exchange for military equipment that they transfer from their own stocks to Ukraine.
To date, Rheinmetall has supplied Ukraine with a three-digit number of Marder 1A3 infatry fighting vehicles. This is supplemented by support through the aforementioned circular exchange programmes. In addition, Rheinmetall has handed over a number of state-of-the-art Lynx systems.
Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 main battle tanks
In total, Rheinmetall has supplied Ukraine with a high double-digit number of Leopard 1A5 and Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks in several batches. These deliveries are supplemented by maintenance contracts and additional circular exchange programmes with European partners.
Air defence
Air defence
The ‘Gepard’ self-propelled anti-aircraft gun has been in service in Ukraine since the summer of 2022. Since then, it has proven to be an extremely effective and cost-efficient means of ground-based air defence in repelling drones and protecting critical infrastructure.
The modern Skynex air defence system follows in this tradition, successfully countering complex threats in Ukraine such as Kh-101 cruise missiles and drones. In addition, the Skyranger 35, mounted on a Leopard 1 chassis, has been supplied to Ukraine by Rheinmetall. The system combines high mobility with the firepower of a 35-mm anti-aircraft gun and, like Skynex, is designed to provide protection against air targets at close and medium ranges.
Both the Skynex and the Skyranger 35 utilise the programmable 35-mm air-burst ammunition AHEAD. This creates a cloud of sub-projectiles at the calculated target point, thereby enabling the effective engagement of even smaller air targets. Compared with many missile-based solutions, gun-based air defence offers, in particular, the advantage of lower costs per engagement. Electronic countermeasures cannot retroactively influence the trajectory of AHEAD projectiles once they have been fired. Amongst other vehicles, Rheinmetall’s HX lorries are used to transport the Skynex system. The HX vehicle family is also widely used by the German Armed Forces in various variants.
Military wheeled vehicles
Rheinmetall is supporting Ukraine with extensive deliveries of military wheeled vehicles. Several hundred Rheinmetall trucks are currently in use in Ukraine, with 26 brand-new trucks having been delivered just recently. The HX vehicles from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles are among the most widely used military utility vehicles and impress with their robustness, mobility, ergonomics and modularity – a unique selling point in the industry.
In addition, Rheinmetall's new air assault Caracal 4x4 all-terrain vehicle is in service in Ukraine, where it supports airborne and special forces operations. The Group has already handed over a total of 20 of these tactical wheeled vehicles to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Service and logistical support
Maintenance, repair and the supply of spare parts are crucial for ensuring the long-term operational readiness of military equipment. Armoured personnel carriers and main battle tanks are serviced and repaired at the Rheinmetall Ukrainian Defense Industry LLC maintenance base in western Ukraine. In the future, Leopard 2 main battle tanks and other German-manufactured systems are also to be repaired at other locations in Ukraine.
Rheinmetall makes use of existing local infrastructure, but has also brought specialist tools, spare parts and other equipment to the hub. In Lithuania, too, Rheinmetall operates a joint maintenance and repair centre with KNDS to maintain the operational readiness of Western combat systems and ensure their logistical support. Vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces are also repaired there.
Field hospital and rescue stations
In August 2023, Rheinmetall’s subsidiary Rheinmetall Mobile Systeme GmbH, with the support of the German Government, delivered a turnkey field hospital to the Ukrainian military. It comprises 32 patient beds, including eight intensive care beds. Rheinmetall only received the contract for this project at the end of 2022. The combined tent- and container-based system is a fully self-sufficient medical care unit and complies with NATO’s Role 2 standard. In August 2023, ten Ukrainian soldiers completed a 14-day training course in the assembly, dismantling and operation of the mobile field hospital. Immediately afterwards, they returned to their area of operations. In addition, in December 2023, Rheinmetall handed over an mobile station to Ukraine in a mobile configuration, i.e. mounted on truck chassis. A second emergency medical station followed in the first quarter of 2024. Each of these systems comprises a triage unit, a diagnostic container, a pre-operative preparation area, as well as an operating theatre and an intensive care container.
The Rheinmetall systems make important contributions to the emergency care and stabilisation of soldiers, some of whom are critically injured, and to the care of the civilian population. They are in use throughout Ukraine. By the end of 2026, a total of 10 field hospitals will have been handed over to Ukraine and over 100 Ukrainian soldiers from the medical corps will have been trained.
Reconnaissance systems for drone defence
Drone defence plays a crucial role in Ukraine’s defence. The extensive support provided to the country is therefore supplemented by SurveilSPIRE mobile reconnaissance systems. These are capable of detecting and engaging enemy drones. The systems comprise mobile surveillance towers equipped with day and night vision cameras, autopiloted mini-drones and a command and control system. A double-digit number of SurveilSPIRE systems have already been delivered.
With all these deliveries, the Düsseldorf-based technology group is once again emphasising its role as a major supplier of military support for the Ukrainian armed forces and thus ultimately also for security and freedom in Europe.
Through these deliveries and services, Rheinmetall is strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities and thereby contributing to security and freedom in Europe.
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