German Army places another order for hundreds of Rafael's Spike missiles
The order for 666 guided missiles and 82 launchers is worth around €88 million. The systems are to be delivered to infantry and mechanized infantry units starting next year
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 30/03/2021
Photo: Bundeswehr/Maximilian Schulz
German company Rheinmetall announced Monday that the German Army has placed a new order for the cutting-edge MELLS antitank guided missile system with EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture of Rheinmetall and its partners, Germany's Diehl Defence and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The order includes 666 guided missiles and 82 integrated command and launchers worth around €88 million. The delivery will be made in the years 2022-2024. Rheinmetall reported that its part of the order is worth €17 million.
According to the company, it is the fourth order of MELLS missiles to be ordered by the German Army, with the systems earmarked for German infantry and mechanized infantry units. The missiles that will be supplied will be Spike LR long-range missiles made by Rafael, while the launchers will be the latest version, capable of firing upgraded Spike LR2 missiles.
A framework contract from October 2019 contains an option for manufacturing and supplying around 100 launchers as well as thousands of MELLS guided missiles during the period of 2024 to 2031. Rheinmetall claims that this means a total of hundreds of millions of euros worth of orders for the company.
It should be mentioned that Israel Defense reported in mid-February that the German Army procured a similar amount (666) of MELLS missiles worth approximately €25 million.
The order for 666 guided missiles and 82 launchers is worth around €88 million. The systems are to be delivered to infantry and mechanized infantry units starting next year
Photo: Bundeswehr/Maximilian Schulz
German company Rheinmetall announced Monday that the German Army has placed a new order for the cutting-edge MELLS antitank guided missile system with EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture of Rheinmetall and its partners, Germany's Diehl Defence and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The order includes 666 guided missiles and 82 integrated command and launchers worth around €88 million. The delivery will be made in the years 2022-2024. Rheinmetall reported that its part of the order is worth €17 million.
According to the company, it is the fourth order of MELLS missiles to be ordered by the German Army, with the systems earmarked for German infantry and mechanized infantry units. The missiles that will be supplied will be Spike LR long-range missiles made by Rafael, while the launchers will be the latest version, capable of firing upgraded Spike LR2 missiles.
A framework contract from October 2019 contains an option for manufacturing and supplying around 100 launchers as well as thousands of MELLS guided missiles during the period of 2024 to 2031. Rheinmetall claims that this means a total of hundreds of millions of euros worth of orders for the company.
It should be mentioned that Israel Defense reported in mid-February that the German Army procured a similar amount (666) of MELLS missiles worth approximately €25 million.
