Germany Overtakes US in Ammunition Production Capacity

Source: Hacker News

Production Surge at Rheinmetall

• Rheinmetall has more than quadrupled its annual production of medium‑calibre ammunition.
• Output of artillery rounds has risen to 1.1 million per year, up from 70,000 previously.
• The increase was detailed by chief executive Armin Papperger to reporters last week, citing German media sources.

Medium‑calibre rounds are larger than machine‑gun bullets but smaller than the shells fired by howitzers. They are typically used in autocannons on tanks or armoured vehicles, such as the U.S. Army’s Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

Newsweek reached out to Rheinmetall for comment.

Geopolitical Drivers

• European nations are rushing to refill military stockpiles after former U.S. President Donald Trump warned NATO members to spend more on defence and rely less on the United States.
• Historically, Europe has leaned heavily on U.S. military assets, including expensive defence systems supplied by Washington.
• The United States has signalled a strategic shift toward the Indo‑Pacific and the threat posed by China, reducing its focus on Europe.
• The Trump administration withdrew significant weapons and military support for Ukraine and is currently preoccupied with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Even before the Iran war, European countries announced plans to bolster their own defence capabilities. Concerns about whether the United States would come to Europe’s aid in the event of Russian aggression have fueled political momentum to make the continent’s armed forces more formidable. European nations have been transferring ammunition, tanks, and other equipment to Ukraine for the past four years.

NATO Spending Commitments

• In June 2025, NATO countries pledged to spend 5 % of GDP on their militaries and related infrastructure each year for the next decade.
• Several nations were not meeting the previous 2 % target, making the 5 % pledge the most significant hike in European military investment in decades.
• Global military spending rose by nearly 3 % in the last year compared with 2024, driven largely by a 14 % increase in European defence expenditure, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has advocated for Europe to rely less on the United States and has pushed for a major increase in German defence spending—a break from the post‑World‑War II policy of limited military investment. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany aims to have “the strongest conventional army in Europe” by 2039.

Ammunition Demand and Production

• Ammunition, especially artillery rounds, is in high demand across Western armies.
• Rheinmetall has been scaling up production since 2022, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
• 155 mm artillery rounds are particularly sought after, as they are widely used by NATO nations and have been heavily expended on Ukraine’s battlefields.
• Rheinmetall, one of the largest producers of 155 mm rounds, opened a new plant in August 2025 that is set to become Europe’s largest ammunition factory.

NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte has emphasized that the alliance must prioritize securing more ammunition, alongside other capabilities such as air defences.

Update 4/28/26, 9:45 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.