Rheinmetall's new Unterlüß plant sends its first 155mm shells to Ukraine
Europe's newest shell factory is feeding the front within a year of opening, the same week a Pentagon watchdog found America's newest 155mm plant has yet to produce a usable part.
Europe's newest shell factory is feeding the front within a year of opening, the same week a Pentagon watchdog found America's newest 155mm plant has yet to produce a usable part.
Rheinmetall has delivered 155mm artillery ammunition to Ukraine from its Werk Niedersachsen plant in Unterlüß for the first time, the company announced July 14. Every earlier shipment to Kyiv came out of other sites in the group's production network.
The order covers a low five-figure number of projectiles plus propellant charges made at other Rheinmetall plants. More than half has already arrived. The remainder is due by the end of 2026.
The rounds are RH1412s, the newest projectile in the company's artillery portfolio. It fires from a range of NATO-standard 155mm systems and pairs longer range with higher effect on target, per the release. The Lower Saxony factory came online last year and anchors a capacity build-out Rheinmetall has run since 2022, toward a stated goal of about 1.5 million 155mm projectiles a year by 2030.
The delivery landed the same week the Pentagon's inspector general laid out the other half of NATO's shell math. The US Army spent $469 million on a General Dynamics plant in Mesquite, Texas that opened in May 2024 and was supposed to produce 30,000 rounds a month by October 2025, Task & Purpose reported. Two years in, the line has yet to produce a single part that meets specification, and the Army halted work there in August 2025. US output stands at 36,000 rounds a month against a 100,000-a-month goal.
Demand on the German side keeps stacking. A NATO member state holds a separate contract, valued in the mid double-digit millions of euros, for several thousand more shells and charges bound for Ukraine by April 2027, United24 Media noted.
The battlefield and the startup story — free in your inbox every week. No paywall.
Subscribe Free →The two plants now mark the spread in the alliance's artillery race. Unterlüß went from opening to a front-line delivery in about ten months, and its remaining rounds are due in Ukraine by December. Mesquite sits under a stop-work order, and the inspector general does not expect a first delivery from it before September.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rheinmetall deliver to Ukraine?
The first 155mm artillery ammunition produced at its new Werk Niedersachsen plant in Unterlüß, a low five-figure number of RH1412 projectiles plus propellant charges from other sites, per the company's July 14 release.
What is the RH1412 shell?
Rheinmetall describes it as the newest projectile in its artillery portfolio. It can be fired from various NATO-standard 155mm weapon systems and offers long range and high effectiveness, according to the company.
When will the rest of the order arrive?
More than half the order has been delivered, and Rheinmetall says the remaining projectiles and propellant charges will follow by the end of 2026.
How much 155mm ammunition does Rheinmetall plan to produce?
The company says it has been expanding capacity since 2022 and aims to produce around 1.5 million 155mm artillery projectiles a year by 2030.
Why is the US Texas shell plant in the news?
A Pentagon inspector general report found the $469 million General Dynamics facility in Mesquite, Texas has produced no 155mm projectile parts that meet specification since opening in May 2024, leaving US output at 36,000 rounds a month against a 100,000 goal, per Task & Purpose.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.