Rheinmetall has announced plans for a major ammunition disposal facility in Dillingen an der Donau, Bavaria.
The 41-hectare (101-acre) Lerchenberg site, a former German Armed Forces depot, will dismantle and destroy both World War-era ordnance and outdated stockpiled ammunition from the military and partner forces in NATO.
Operations are scheduled to begin in early 2026, with the site including 32 bunkers capable of storing up to 900 tonnes (1.9 million pounds) of explosives.
Responding to Hazards
The Düsseldorf-based company said the infrastructure project is a response to long-standing security and environmental challenges.
“An estimated 1.6 million tonnes (3.5 billion pounds) of legacy munitions are believed to be on the seabed of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea alone,” Rheinmetall noted in its announcement, adding that over 2 million tonnes (4.4 billion pounds) of bombs were dropped across Germany and occupied territories during World War II.
In southern Germany, authorities estimate more than 20,000 tonnes (44 million pounds) of unexploded ordnance still require clearance and disposal.
Expansion in Bavaria
The initiative follows Rheinmetall’s April 2025 acquisition of Stascheit GmbH, a Gardelegen-based company specializing in ordnance detection, recovery, and disposal, including offshore operations.
Stascheit will be integrated into the company’s Projects & Services division alongside the new Bavaria disposal center, broadening Rheinmetall’s role in addressing Europe’s munitions legacy.
