Rheinmetall

Headquartered in Düsseldorf, Rheinmetall AG is an automotive parts supplier and military technology group. In fiscal 2012 (2011), the company’s 21,766 (21,516) employees generated sales of €4.7 billion (€4.4 billion). Rheinmetall was the tenth-largest European defence contractor in 2011.

The Group’s Automotive unit had sales in fiscal 2012 of €2.369 billion, while sales of its Defence arm for the same period came to €2.335 billion. Rheinmetall AG is listed on the German MDAX; its shares are traded on all German stock exchanges.

Automotive
KSPG (previously known as Kolbenschmidt Pierburg) is the management company of Rheinmetall AG's automotive technology branch. A globally operating maker of automotive components, KSPG plays a leading role in air supply, pollution reduction and pump technology, as well as the development, manufacture and sale of pistons, engine blocks and smooth bearings, including the supply of spare parts. Development of new products takes place in close cooperation with major automakers. The company has been organized into three autonomously operating divisions since May 2012: Hardparts, Mechatronics, and Motor Service.

The company's activities fall into seven business units, including Kolbenschmidt (which manufactures pistons); Large Pistons; Pierburg (components for air supply and pollution reduction); Pierburg Pump Technology (coolant, oil, recirculation and vacuum pumps); Plain Bearings (metal bearings and bearing elements as well as continuous casting elements); Aluminium Technology (engine blocks); and Motor Service (repair and maintenance sales for KSPG).

Defence
Rheinmetall AG's Defence arm is one of the world's leading producers of systems and equipment for ground, air and naval forces. Rheinmetall Defence has three divisions: Combat Systems, Electronic Solutions and Wheeled Vehicles. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are embedded in these three divisions.

Though based in Germany, Rheinmetall Defence now has production plants and representative offices in sixteen countries, serving the armed forces, security services and law enforcement agencies of numerous nations.

Recent acquisitions
Chempro GmbH (2007), 51% share ADS Gesellschaft für aktive Schutzsysteme mbH (2007) (76%)

Zaugg Elektronik AG (2007)

Stork PWV (2008)

Rheinmetall Denel Munition (Pty) Ltd. (2008)

LDT Laser Display Technology GmbH (2008)

Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH (2010), a joint venture with MAN Truck & Bus, under Rheinmetall management (51%)

Verseidag Ballistic Protection GmbH (2010)

Laingsdale Engineering (Pty) Ltd. (2010)

Simrad Optronics ASA (2010)

Swiss Simtec (2011)

Vingtech Corp. (2011)

Modern

 * Rheinmetall 120mm Gun: both the L44 and L55 versions which arm the Leopard 2, M1A1 and A2 and Type 90 MBT
 * Rheinmetall M35: 105 mm main gun of the M8 Armored Gun System
 * 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun: main gun of PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer
 * MG3: 7.62 mm universal machine gun
 * RMK30: a 30 mm recoilless, caseless autocannon
 * Rheinmetall LTA2: main gun of TAM tank
 * MK 20 Rh202: 20 mm autocannon, primary armament of Marder, Luchs and Wiesel armoured fighting vehicles
 * Rheinmetall 20mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon: anti-aircraft gun
 * GDM-008 Millennium: 35 mm naval air-defence gun
 * Skyguard: 35 mm air-defence gun system
 * Skyshield: 35 mm air-defence gun system
 * MANTIS (counter rocket, artillery and mortar): very short range air-defence system
 * MLG 27: 27 mm remote controlled autocannon, used on many ships of the German Navy
 * AGF (Light infantry vehicle)
 * Rheinmetall YAK: armoured wheeled vehicle
 * Wiesel AWC: armoured weapons carrier in different versions
 * GTK Boxer: multirole armoured vehicle
 * Puma (IFV): next generation infantry fighting vehicle of the German Army
 * TPz Fuchs: multirole armoured vehicle
 * LeFlaSys: light air-defence missile system, based on Wiesel 2
 * Jacket cradle of Oto Melara
 * KZO: tactical UAV
 * IdZ-ES: The German Bundeswehr's Future Soldier program
 * Nanuk Remotely Controlled Weapon Station (Rheinmetall Defence Canada)
 * Amarok Remotely Controlled Weapon Station (Rheinmetall Defence Canada)
 * Qimek Remotely Controlled Weapon Station (Rheinmetall Defence Canada)
 * NBC protection systems
 * Ammunition
 * Cargo loading and aviation systems
 * Simulators
 * NBC reconnaissance systems
 * Mobile Power Distribution Systems (MPDS)

WWII and pre-WWII products

 * QF 15 pounder: field gun sold to Britain in 1900
 * 7.5 cm Model 1901: field gun sold to Norway in 1900
 * 7.5 cm Kwk 42 (L/70): tank gun that was used in the famed German Panther tank of World War II
 * 7.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40: recoilless gun predominantly used by paratroops during World War II
 * 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41: Flak and anti-tank gun of World War II
 * Solothurn S-18/1000: 20 mm Anti-Tank rifle
 * Rheinmetall MK 108: well-known WWII 30 mm

In fiction
The Rheinmetall company name appears in video games spanning multiple genres, including the sci-fi title Cyberpunk 2020, historical grand strategy title Hearts of Iron II and the role-playing game Fallout.