# Rheinmetall Denel Munition Developing Ramjet-Powered 155 mm Artillery Round

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2023/08/rheinmetall-denel-munition-developing-ramjet-powered-155-mm-artillery-round/
- Published: 2023-08-23T09:12:58+01:00
- Author: Sarah Lesedi

Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) is developing a ramjet-powered 155 mm artillery
round that will have a range of 155 km. The round is still in the development phase,
but RDM has already conducted some test firings. The company believes that the ramjet
round will be able to achieve some of the longest ranges on the market according
to a _defenceWeb’s_ report.

Ramjets are air-breathing engines that use the forward motion of the projectile 
to compress the air entering the engine. This compressed air is then mixed with 
fuel and ignited, creating thrust. Ramjets are more efficient than rocket engines
at high speeds, making them ideal for long-range artillery rounds.

In 2021, Rheinmetall Denel Munition finalized a ten-year agreement with Northrop
Grumman to develop precision and long-range ammunition technology for future artillery
operations.

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The [agreement signed in February 2021](https://www.military.africa/2021/04/rdm-northrop-grumman-signs-jv-on-future-artillery-ammunition-technology/),
will see the joint venture focus on developing and offering enhanced ammunition 
technology to the international market, including the United States, to support 
future artillery operations.

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RDM’s ramjet round is based on the company’s VLAP (Velocity Enhanced Artillery Projectile)
ammunition. The VLAP round uses a rocket booster to achieve a range of 54 km. The
ramjet round will replace the rocket booster with a ramjet engine, which will allow
it to achieve a much longer range.

“I’m very proud of our artillery ammunition,” outgoing RDM CEO Jan-Patrick Helmsen
recently told military attaches during a tour of the company’s Boskop facility. “
We have the longest artillery arms in the world.” However, he said the company has
seen competition slowly creeping in for its VLAP (Velocity Enhanced Artillery Projectile)
ammunition and so is looking at other technologies like ramjet propulsion to stay
ahead.

Although the ramjet round has a longer range than conventional artillery, is has
reduced payload. However, the ramjet round is much cheaper than missiles with similar
range. Some test firing of the new RDM ramjet rounds has taken place, but further
work is still ongoing, as it is a challenging endeavour to perfect ramjet technology.

RDM is not the only company developing ramjet-powered artillery rounds. Boeing and
Nammo are also working on a similar project. However, RDM believes that its round
will be more affordable and easier to maintain than other designs.

If successful, RDM’s ramjet round could revolutionize the artillery landscape. It
would give artillery forces a much longer reach, which would make them more effective
in modern warfare.

In addition to the ramjet round, RDM is also developing other new artillery technologies.
The company is working on a new type of rocket-assisted mortar that can extend the
range of mortars to 20 km. RDM is also developing new types of ammunition for its
155 mm and 105 mm artillery guns.

RDM is a [leading supplier of artillery ammunition to the South African military](https://www.military.africa/2020/11/south-african-army-orders-60-mm-mortar-from-rheinmetall/).
The company also exports its products to customers around the world. The development
of the ramjet round and other new artillery technologies is a sign of RDM’s commitment
to staying ahead of the curve in the global artillery market.

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In July, Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), announced that it is working around the
clock and investing significant funds to meet the global demand for artillery ammunition.
The CEO of RDM, Jan-Patrick Helmsen, [disclosed this information ](https://www.military.africa/2023/07/rheinmetall-denel-munition-is-expanding-to-meet-global-demand-for-artillery-ammunition/)
during a recent military attache demonstration at the company’s Boskop facility 
near Potchefstroom. Helmsen explained that with the current state of global instability
and uncertainty, countries are allocating more resources to national security, leading
to a thriving defence industry worldwide.

Recently, an Asian customer [ordered 400,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition](https://www.military.africa/2022/07/asian-country-orders-40mm-ammunition-from-rheinmetall/)
worth 25 million euros.

Rheinmetall also highlighted the noteworthy contracts of a multi-year [supply of ammunition worth 848 million euros to the Hungarian ](https://www.military.africa/2022/04/rdm-to-supply-artillery-rounds-to-hungary/)
armed forces and the delivery of an [explosives factory valued at 192 million euros](https://www.military.africa/2023/01/rdm-wins-hungarian-explosive-contract/)
in the same country.

Overall, [Rheinmetall’s operating profits grew](https://www.military.africa/2023/04/improved-sales-in-2022-highlight-the-potential-of-south-africas-defence-industry/)
by 27% in 2022 to reach 754 million euros, with a record order book of 26.6 billion
euros. The group anticipates continued sales growth and stable high margins in 2023,
projecting consolidated sales to rise from 6.4 billion euros in 2022 to 7.4-7.6 
billion euros this year.

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