Berlin / Düsseldorf: The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) have placed a fresh multi-hundred-million-euro order with Rheinmetall for 30mm ammunition used by the Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), further expanding a long-term framework contract originally concluded in December 2022.
The latest procurement strengthens Germany’s ammunition reserves and underlines the Bundeswehr’s accelerated rearmament drive amid a deteriorating European security environment.
Framework Contract Extended Until 2029
The framework agreement covers the supply of 30mm × 173 calibre ammunition for the Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle and is valid until 2029. With the newest order, the contract’s delivery volumes and total financial scope have been significantly expanded.
According to Rheinmetall, the agreement now allows for the delivery of several hundred thousand cartridges, with a total potential contract value of approximately €1 billion. A medium six-figure quantity of ammunition has already been retrieved by the Bundeswehr, while the latest order intake alone is valued at several hundred million euros.
Ammunition Tailored for High-Intensity Combat
Rheinmetall supplies two certified combat ammunition types for the Puma IFV:
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KE-TF DM21 (Kinetic Energy – Time Fuze)
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KE DM33 (Kinetic Energy)
Both rounds are produced in 30mm × 173 calibre, developed and qualified to the latest NATO and Bundeswehr standards. They are designed for high penetration, air-burst capability, and multi-target engagement, ensuring effectiveness against armoured vehicles, infantry, drones, helicopters, and lightly protected sea targets.
MK30-2/ABM: The Puma’s Core Firepower
The Puma IFV is armed with Rheinmetall’s MK30-2/ABM automatic cannon, one of the most advanced medium-calibre weapon systems in service. The gun combines a high rate of fire with programmable air-burst munition, delivering an effective engagement range of over 2,000 metres across land, air, and maritime targets.
This capability is central to the Puma’s role as a frontline mechanised infantry platform within NATO’s high-readiness formations.
Linked to Puma Fleet Expansion
The new ammunition order follows a major platform expansion decision by the Bundeswehr. Germany has recently tasked Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland—joint venture partners on the Puma programme—to supply 200 additional Puma IFVs, significantly enlarging the operational fleet.
The expansion of ammunition stocks directly supports this increase in vehicle numbers, ensuring sustained combat readiness and long-term operational endurance.
Strategic Signal Amid Security Pressures
The order highlights Rheinmetall’s position as a leading European supplier of medium-calibre ammunition and reflects Germany’s broader effort to rebuild ammunition reserves after years of underinvestment. The Bundeswehr has prioritised stock replenishment following lessons learned from NATO deterrence missions and the Ukraine conflict, where ammunition availability has proven decisive.
Outlook
With a framework contract running until 2029, a €1 billion overall ceiling, and hundreds of thousands of 30mm rounds planned for delivery, the Puma ammunition programme represents one of the largest medium-calibre procurement efforts in Europe.
For Rheinmetall, the order secures long-term industrial workload, while for the Bundeswehr it marks another concrete step toward restoring credible, sustained combat power within NATO’s eastern defence posture.
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