The strategic alliance focuses on collaboration in the field of large calibre conventional and guided ammunition for navies and armies.
The Cooperation Agreement was signed by Dr. Carlo Alberto Iardella, CEO of Oto Melara and Claus Guenther, CEO of Diehl Defence, at the presence of representatives of both companies and Italian and German military officials.
Oto Melara and Diehl are already carrying out strong synergies based on national programs – Germany with the 120mm Guided Mortar Munition and 155mm Guided Artillery Munition and Italy with the Guided Long Range and Ballistic Extended Range ammunition VULCANO 127mm/155mm.
In order to enhance their partnership, they have started an exclusive cooperation on a number of joint products with the prospect of short term production for national Governments and foreign Customers:
- VULCANO 155mm GPS/SAL (Semi Active Laser) long-range precision guided ammunition for the self-propelled armoured howitzer PzH2000 (German and Italian version) and for all other fielded 155mm artillery weapon platforms
- VULCANO 127mm GPS/SAL for the Oto Melara 127/64 Light Weight naval guns as well as for all other fielded Oto Melara 127mm naval guns.
Further joint programs and products are envisioned in the cooperative relationship also in the field of conventional ammunition.
The strategic alliance underscores the already ongoing cooperation between Oto Melara and Diehl Defence with regard to the joint development, industrialization, qualification, production, international marketing and sales of the agreed products.
The fruitful cooperation gave already first positive results with firings at Meppen Proving Ground with VULCANO 155 GLR/SAL automatically fired by a PzH2000.
