Rheinmetall says Germany has overtaken the US in conventional ammunition output
Pappberger cites artillery shells up from 70,000 to 1.1m/yr; Europe's 155mm output now eclipses American lines
Summary
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Pappberger said on 26 April 2026 that Germany has overtaken the United States in conventional ammunition output. Rheinmetall lifted mid-calibre production from 800,000 to 4 million rounds a year and 155mm artillery shells from 70,000 to 1.1 million; military-truck output rose from 600 to 4,500. He projects 70,000 employees by 2030. The claim lands against a stagnant US picture: the Army was still short of its 100,000-rounds-a-month (≈1.2m/yr) goal, not expected until mid-2026, while European Union plus UK and Ukrainian lines are headed toward ~2.8–3m 155mm shells annually. Rheinmetall alone targets 1.5m shells by 2027 — see Shell Production and BAE's Glascoed 155mm plant slips as it doubles planned capacity.
By the numbers
- 70,000 → 1.1m — Rheinmetall 155mm shells per year.
- 800,000 → 4m — mid-calibre rounds per year.
- 600 → 4,500 — military trucks per year.
- ~2.8–3m — projected EU+UK+Ukraine 155mm shells/yr in 2026.
- ~1.2m/yr — US 155mm goal, still unmet at ~40,000/month.
Why it matters
A structural shift in who can sustain a long war: Europe's industrial base, led by Rheinmetall, now out-produces America on the artillery rounds that decide attritional fronts — reordering the transatlantic supply relationship and Ukraine's resupply.
What to watch
- Whether Rheinmetall hits 1.5m shells/yr by 2027.
- US Army progress toward 100,000 rounds/month.
- Independent verification of Pappberger's figures in filings/SIPRI data.