Rheinmetall Opens €20M Ammunition Facility in Spain
Rheinmetall has invested €20 million in a Spanish ammunition facility capable of producing three million medium-calibre components annually, including supplies for air defence and counter-drone systems.
German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall has expanded its ammunition production facility in Albacete, Spain, adding capacity for three million medium-calibre ammunition components annually as part of its wider European manufacturing expansion.
Rheinmetall has commissioned a new medium-calibre ammunition production facility at its Albacete site in Spain, following an investment of approximately €20 million. The expansion, operated by subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, is designed to manufacture around 1.2 million projectiles and 1.8 million cartridge cases annually.
The new production line covers calibres ranging from 20 mm to 35 mm, supplying components for ammunition used by infantry fighting vehicles, anti-aircraft gun systems and counter-drone weapons. These components will undergo further processing at other Rheinmetall facilities, including its plant in Burgos, Spain.
The expansion includes a modernised production building covering approximately 5,700 square metres, equipped with new machinery and automated manufacturing systems. Rheinmetall plans to increase employment at the Albacete site from approximately 210 to 300 workers.
Expanding Mortar and Counter-Drone Ammunition Capacity
Beyond medium-calibre ammunition, Rheinmetall has constructed an additional 5,200-square-metre building to expand mortar production. The facility is expected to support annual manufacturing capacity of 40 Dual-Eimos 81 mm mortar systems and more than 650 mortars in 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm calibres.
The medium-calibre production network will also support Rheinmetall's AHEAD ammunition, developed for air defence and counter-unmanned aircraft operations, alongside armour-piercing and other specialised ammunition types.
The investment forms part of Rheinmetall's wider Firepower programme, through which the company aims to expand annual production capacity to 1.5 million rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition, 240,000 rounds of 120 mm tank ammunition and four million rounds of medium-calibre ammunition by 2030.
Additional investments under the programme include new ammunition facilities in Germany and Lithuania, alongside the expansion of existing production sites.
The Albacete facility will operate within Rheinmetall's manufacturing network across Spain, Germany and Switzerland, supplying ammunition components and weapons systems for NATO members and other allied customers.
