Soldiers of the Royal Artillery firing 105mm Light Guns during an exercise. Credit: Richard Watt.

Rheinmetall has secured an $80m order from an unidentified international customer for artillery propelling charges.

Booked by Rheinmetall Denel Munition , the order encompasses several Tactical Modular Charges, which are expected to be delivered next year.

Rheinmetall Denel Munition has developed the modular charges which are designed to propel 155mm artillery shells.

The equipment delivered will be customised to match the customer’s weapons systems and artillery projectiles. This will ensure maximum effectiveness. The modular design simplifies logistics and handling procedures in self-propelled howitzer systems.

The characteristics of the advanced Rheinmetall Denel Munition product include reduced barrel wear (RDM’s Barrel Wear Reducer/BWR) which results in longer barrel life.

Other features of the product include lower muzzle flash (RDM’s Muzzle Flash Reducer/MFR) that makes the artillery system harder for the enemy to detect.

Rheinmetall specialises in propellants, including propelling charges for artillery and mortar rounds, propelling powders, as well as combustible cast parts.

Last month, the company signed a contract with Switzerland’s Federal Office for the delivery and procurement of VarioRay LLM laser light module to the Swiss Army. Under the contract, the company agreed to begin delivery of 9,640 devices by May this year and complete by the end of 2022.

In February, Rheinmetall was awarded a modernisation contract to upgrade the German Army Aviation Corps’ NH90 tactical transport helicopter flight simulators.

In December 2019, the contract was awarded to Helicopter Flight Training Systems (HFTS) which includes CAE, Airbus Helicopters , Rheinmetall and Thales as shareholders and partners.