Oto Melara and Diehl Defence signed a Cooperation Agreement during the EUROSATORY 2012. 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.

Oto Melara S.p.A. is a company of the Finmeccanica group whose 2011 revenues amount to 18,7 billion Euros and with business activities in the fields of helicopters, aeronautics, electronics for defence and security, defence systems, space, transportation and energy.
Oto Melara, with 1230 employees, operates in the naval, land, aeronautics and 76, 127 and 155 mm calibers guided ammunition sectors.
It is world leader in the naval artilleries with the 76/62mm in its various versions sold to over 55 Navies of the world and the 127/64 mm.
The Company devotes about 9% of its revenues to R&D, while links with universities and research centres enable it to remain on top of crucial technology areas.

Diehl Defence is a corporate division of the German Diehl Group with total sales close to 3 bio. Euros, concentrating all business activities in the fields of defence and security as a holding company. Diehl Defence achieves annual sales of € 600 million with 3,100 employees and manages numerous subsidiaries, program and affiliated companies. One important field of activities of the subsidiary Diehl BGT Defence concentrates on conventional and guided ammunition in the whole calibre spectrum relevant for armies, navies and air forces in Germany, Europe and worldwide.