- British and German armies to work together on next steps for
advanced armour-piercing tank ammunition development
- Enhancing NATO interoperability through standardised Main
Battle Tank ammunition
- Improving lethality on UK’s future Challenger 3 Main Battle
Tanks and German Leopard 2 tanks
Germany and the United Kingdom will work together on the next
phase of development for advanced armour-piercing tank
ammunition, it has been announced today.
UK National Armaments Director, Andy Start, met his German
counterpart, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, at the Honourable
Artillery Company in London, where they signed a Statement of
Intent to work together on the Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE)
round – an advanced armour-piercing ammunition providing a step
change in the Army’s ability to defeat evolving enemy threats.
Demonstrating that the new munition passes all legal and
regulatory standards, this next phase of “qualification” marks a
significant milestone in the ammunition’s programme. Ongoing
discussions will seek a joint programme to be stood up this year,
with the aim for the EKE ammunition to be used on the Challenger
3 Main Battle Tank and German Leopard 2 tank.
As the programme develops, the sharing of work between the
countries will be key to ensuring a sustainable industrial
capacity for both nations’ industries, sustaining jobs across the
UK and supporting the UK Prime Minister’s priority to grow the
economy.
UK Defence Secretary, , said:
We’re very pleased to work with Germany on this programme,
helping equip our respective Armed Forces with a crucial
battle-winning capability.
The standardised ammunition will not only benefit battlefield
collaboration with many of our NATO allies, but has important
export potential for UK and German defence industry partners.
The EKE rounds would be fired from the L55A1 turret on Challenger
3 and Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks, supporting interoperability
with NATO allies. The agreement follows both countries announcing
the gifting of a squadron of their respective Main Battle Tanks
to support Ukraine in its fight to counter Russia’s illegal
invasion.
DEU State Secretary for FMOD Benedict Zimmer
said:
The programme for 120mm EKE tank ammunition once again proves
that the United Kingdom and Germany remain to co-operate as very
close partners and friends.
Under the terms of the new agreement, Germany and the UK will
also remain open for additional nations to join the cooperation
or be export recipients, as well as continuing discussions on
potential collaboration for other types of 120mm tank ammunition.
UK National Armament Director & Chief Executive of
Defence Equipment & Support, Andy Start, said:
The UK will continue to drive stronger collaboration between
partner nations to address current and future procurement needs.
This approach maximises our collective strength to drive
standardisation across NATO, and provides the opportunity for
nations to improve availability and realise efficiencies.
The UK and Germany are close Allies, working together on several
key defence initiatives including joint air policing missions in
Estonia, as well as through land forces with the Joint Amphibious
Battalion.
German National Armament Director, Vice Admiral Carsten
Stawitzki, said:
With the Statement of Intent being signed, the United Kingdom and
Germany will consider the request to allow for additional
partners to join the programme as soon as possible.
