Ukraine receives shells for Gepard anti-aircraft guns from Germany
5 September, 2023 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun of the Ukrainian military. October 2022, Ukraine. Photo credits: Bild
Ukraine received 35-mm shells for Gepard anti-aircraft guns from Germany from a new production line. The official website of the German Ministry of Defense reported on this. The exact number is not disclosed, but the transfer of a five-digit number of shells of this caliber has been reported.
The production of shells is currently moved to Unterluss, Germany, where ammunition of this caliber will be produced for Ukraine.
Shells available for use by the Gepard anti-aircraft guns. Photo from the archive
"The war in Ukraine reminds us almost every day that the defense of the country depends on air defense and sufficient ammunition. With the resumption of production of ammunition for Gepard, we are focusing on these two important aspects," Boris Pistorius, German Minister of Defense, stated.
In February 2023, Ukraine signed a contract with Rheinmetall AG to produce 300,000 35-mm shells. The total value of the agreement was EUR168 million. For mass production, the company relaunched the production line, which it managed to do in an "ambitious" time frame.
Seven months after the contract was signed, Ukraine received the first 35x228-mm shells produced by a German company, which can be exported without separate permits from the Swiss government, as was required before.
Gepard A2 anti-aircraft gun. Photo credits: Bundeswehr
In the early 2000s, Diehl Wertehnic and Rheinmetall DeTec AG had been producing the 35mm shells. Due to low demand and the decommissioning of Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, Germany stopped producing ammunition of this caliber.
Prior to the relaunch of the production line, the manufacturing of these shells in Europe continued only at the Swiss company Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec.
Militarnyi previously reported that in July, Ukraine received six Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition from Germany.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine currently have 46 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.