German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has entered into a new framework agreement with the Dutch Armed Forces for the provision of hand grenades.
The contract, lasting five years with an option for a two-year extension, involves delivering approximately 15 types of hand grenades from Rheinmetall’s facilities in Germany and Austria.
Valued in the double-digit millions of euros, this agreement will allow the Royal Netherlands Army to acquire hand grenades as needed throughout the contract’s duration.
The grenades will be produced at Rheinmetall’s plants located in Trittau and Silberhütte in Germany, as well as Schwanenstadt in Austria. The production is said to meet current safety and quality standards and aims to improve the operational readiness and training capacity of the Dutch military.
This arrangement is part of multiple framework agreements established between Rheinmetall and the Netherlands, highlighting continued cooperation in defence technology. Previous agreements have covered a range of ammunition, including 155mm artillery and 40mm rounds.
Rheinmetall Benelux countries sales director Robbin Reijm said: “This contract highlights the confidence which our Dutch partners have in Rheinmetall’s capabilities and reliability as a leading European systems provider in the field of ammunition.
“At the same time, it will strengthen our industrial base at several European sites”.
Rheinmetall’s product offerings include various ammunitions and related defence technologies such as 40mm low, medium, and high-velocity rounds, grenade launchers like the SSW40, along with pyrotechnical products for diverse missions.
In July 2025, the company secured orders from Estonia and Lithuania for infantry ammunition valued at approximately €33m ($39m).
Estonia granted a framework contract to Rheinmetall in Q2 2025 for the delivery of hand grenades. This contract includes splinter grenades anticipated in 2026 and 2027, and offensive hand grenades scheduled from 2026 to 2029, with the order valued at approximately €17m gross.
In another development, Rheinmetall’s air defence division acquired a contract from the Netherlands Ministry of Defence in December 2025 for delivering Skyranger air defence systems. This deal is valued in the high triple-digit millions of euros, with production set to start by late 2028 and deliveries expected by the end of 2029.
