Rheinmetall plans to open a tank-repair centre in Ukraine

28 July, 2023 Rheinmetall. Photo from open sources. Germany's Rheinmetall plans to set up a repair center in Ukraine for German-made equipment used by the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

Reuters reported on this. "We are currently already training Ukrainians in Germany for this job," said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall previously stated that it had created a joint venture with the Ukrainian Ukroboronprom State Concern for the construction and repair of tanks in Ukraine.

Armin Papperger on the background of the Marder 1A3 IFV.

Photo credits: Julian Stratenschulte.

Rheinmetall will hold a majority stake of 51% in the new company and will provide management. The plant will be located on the territory of Ukraine. In addition, the company's management has repeatedly announced its desire to create an armored tank plant in Ukraine.

As Militarnyi previously reported, Rheinmetall will deploy production facilities for the production of armored vehicles in Ukraine within the following 12 weeks. In April, the German arms maker announced the creation of a maintenance and logistics center in Romania, and in June 2022 it established a similar center in Lithuania to provide support for NATO equipment in the Baltic states. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are armed with a large range of German-made equipment.

The Ukrainian servicemen are repairing the Leopard 2 tank in the Zaporizhzhia region.

June 2023. Ukraine. Photo credits: apnews.com.

Recently, the Ukrainian paratroopers showcased the Marder 1A3 IFV, which was modernized by Rheinmetall.

In addition, Rheinmetall will deliver two Skynex short-range air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming months.

The German arms maker, together with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, is also engaged in the production and maintenance of Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 tanks.