United to win: Rheinmetall plans to establish air defense system production facility in Ukraine

Rheinmetall, a German defense company, intends to establish an enterprise focused on air defense systems in Ukraine.

The German Aid to Ukraine project on X reports this.

The head of Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, announced this during the company's general meeting.

Currently, the exact date of the start of construction of the joint venture has not been announced.

According to the report, it will likely be at least 1-2 years before production begins.

It was also reported that Ukraine would receive from the German defense concern Rheinmetall prototypes of artillery shells capable of hitting targets at a distance of 100 kilometers.

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Currently, Rheinmetall is Ukraine's primary defense-industrial partner, providing military equipment, anti-aircraft systems, ammunition, military trucks, mobile medical equipment, and related services.

It should be noted that the Federal Antimonopoly Office of Germany allowed Rheinmetall to create a joint venture with Ukraine at the end of September – Rheinmetall Ukrainian Defense Industry LLC. It was reported that the company will be based in Kyiv.

Moreover, it was previously reported that the German concern, Rheinmetall, is negotiating the construction of a tank factory in Ukraine.

Also, the German defense concern Rheinmetall and the "Ukrainian Defense Industry" officially announced the creation of a joint venture for the repair and maintenance of combat equipment transferred by Germany and other Western partners.

The enterprise will also perform the functions of a repair base for anti-aircraft systems that Germany transferred to Ukraine, including IRIS-T SL, Skynex 30, and Gepard.