Rheinmetall to supply Ukraine with revolutionary 100km-range artillery shells

As reported by the Handelsblatt portal, Armin Papperger once again assured Ukraine of several hundred thousand 155 mm calibre shells in 2024. He also mentioned deliveries of prototype artillery shells with a 100-kilometre range.

This may indicate the delivery of a new variation designed with the Italian Leonardo concern Vulcano GLR 155, which has been in development for several years by Rheinmetall Denel Munition jet engine-powered shells.

The information about a 100-kilometre range and prototypes indicates that Rheinmetall is willing to deliver a batch of shells that were ultimately supposed to have an even 150-kilometre range. The opportunity to test new weapons in war conditions against an advanced opponent does not happen often and usually translates into export success in the longer term.

Rheinmetall Denel Munition, in cooperation with the American company Northrop Grumman, based on a 2021 cooperation agreement, is developing a future artillery shell that will compete with a program conducted by the Norwegian company Nammo.

The key to increasing the range of barrel artillery is combining the highest possible velocity of the fired shell and its ballistic coefficient. Many possibilities exist to achieve satisfying results. The simplest is using a longer barrel and higher pressure, allowing the projectile to be fired at a higher muzzle velocity.

This is precisely why modern artillery systems like PzH 2000 or the Polish Krab can shoot at a distance of about 30 kilometres with the simplest artillery ammunition. On the other hand, by reducing the rear resistance of the shell through a gas generator the effective range increases to about 40 kilometres.

The situation becomes complicated if one wants to go further because compromises are already necessary. One can use a lighter sub-calibre projectile with a slightly smaller lethality but a higher ballistic coefficient, resulting in a slower loss of energy, as is the case with the Vulcano BER or GLR 155 shells, or provide the projectile with additional propulsion after leaving the barrel.

Currently, the standard is to use a solid rocket engine, which occupies some of the space reserved for dynamite but provides a short-term increase in the projectile's speed, resulting in a greater range.

In the case of artillery shells like the American M549A1 or the German V-LAP, a rocket booster allows for hitting targets at a distance of about 60 kilometres. However, there is a way to improve these parameters by using a jet engine instead of a rocket engine.

The difference here is that the jet engine draws oxygen from the atmosphere, not from an oxidizer in the rocket fuel. This allows for more burning fuel with the same dimensions, resulting in longer engine operating. It's worth noting that German companies have vast experience here, as they are responsible for the propulsion section of the MBDA Meteor missile.

The problem here is the issue of compressing a sufficient amount of air before it reaches the combustion chamber, which requires high speed. In the case of an artillery shell fired from a barrel, this is simpler than in the case of the Meteor missile, where a rocket booster is necessary at the start of the flight.

As a result, one can obtain an artillery shell with an enormous range, allowing an ordinary howitzer or gun-howitzer to perform tasks reserved for multiple rocket launchers. It can be assumed that Ukraine will only receive a small test batch for PzH 2000 howitzers.