DUSSELDORF, Germany, Aug. 11 (UPI) — Rheinmetall of Germany reports it is to supply tank ammunition to an unidentified military customer under an order worth nearly $42.8 million.
The DM63A1 kinetic energy rounds to be supplied will be delivered in two lots from 2016 to 2018, the company said.
The DM63A1 is for 120mm smoothbore tank guns. It contains no explosive, instead relying on the kinetic energy of the round’s heavy tungsten penetrator to destroy a target.
Rheinmetall said the manufacture of the penetrators and final assembly will take place at its plant in Unterlüß in Lower Saxony, while the temperature-independent propellant powder will be sourced from Rheinmetall Nitrochemie, which operates plants in Bavaria and Switzerland.
“Thanks to its new propulsion unit, the DM63A1 kinetic energy round — unlike all other types of tank ammunition available to date — can enhance the combat performance of platforms armed with a 120mm smoothbore gun, including those of the Leopard 2 main battle tank, with no need for prior technical modification,” the company said. “The ammunition’s temperature-independent propellant solution is a unique feature found nowhere else.”
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