Rheinmetall has delivered qualification samples of the new 120mm KE 2020 Neo tank ammunition to the German and British armies.
It marks the completion of the round’s development process, with production expected in 2026.
The contract is part of a collaborative effort to enhance the effectiveness of Germany’s Leopard 2 and Britain’s Challenger 3 main battle tanks.
It reportedly aims to standardize ammunition types among NATO members and enhance interoperability.
KE 2020 Neo Tank Round
The 120mm x 570 kinetic energy (KE) ammunition features a high-strength tungsten penetrator designed to defeat the latest armor protection technologies.
It continues Rheinmetall’s legacy of kinetic energy rounds, starting with the DM13 in 1979 and the more powerful DM23 in the mid-1980s.
The company developed a pair of upgraded KE rounds — the DM53 and DM63 — after the Leopard 2 was upgraded to the A6 standard.
Presently, the DM73 is the most advanced KE round operational with the German military, employed with the Leopard 2’s L55A1 smoothbore gun.
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