The agreement, announced by the agency, marks a strategic step forward in replenishing and upgrading the precision stockpile of NATO member states amid heightened security concerns in Europe. Financial details and the exact volume of the procurement package have not been disclosed.
The Vulcano 155mm ammunition family, co-developed by Diehl Defence and Italy’s Leonardo, is designed to achieve extreme accuracy at extended ranges. By utilizing GPS-aided inertial navigation system (INS) guidance and optional semi-active laser (SAL) sensors, the subcaliber ammunition can strike stationary and moving targets with pinpoint precision, minimizing collateral damage.
According to military analysts, the acquisition directly addresses NATO's current operational priority: enhancing conventional artillery ranges while maintaining a high hit probability. The Vulcano projectile can achieve ranges of up to 70 kilometers when fired from standard 52-caliber artillery barrels, such as those on the Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) systems currently deployed across Europe.
"This contract underscores NSPA’s role as the primary enabler for multinational defense acquisition within the alliance," a defense official noted, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "Providing forces with rapid access to combat-proven, highly precise ammunition is vital for maintaining credible deterrence."
The delivery timeline is expected to commence shortly, reinforcing Diehl Defence’s production lines at a time when Western nations are heavily investing in artillery supply chains to counter regional threats and backfill stocks.