NATO urged to strengthen arms industry's plan certainty by industry associations - NATO must provide more predictable strategic planning to the arms industry, according to industry leaders.
Holland's Hague Summit: Defense Sector Clamors for Reliable Projections from NATO
Get ready for the NATO powwow in The Hague, and the Germans in the defense sector are singing a single tune—give us some danged certainty on future orders! "We expect the Hague bash to unequivocally commit NATO nations to turning their empty promises into action,” Airbus Defense and Space CEO Michael Schöllhorn told the "Augsburger Allgemeinen" (June 15). The planned hike in defense spending needs to materialize pronto! "It means we need some planning security and long-term purchases through orders," Schöllhorn said, using street lingo.
Wary of Patchwork Approach
"We can ramp up production quicker 'n hell, but require a clear situation with orders, plenty of gear, and no piecemeal nonsense," Schöllhorn emphasized. With the gradual drawdown of Yankee gadgets, the Old World needs to step it up and get moving before it's too late. Similarly, the CEO of Augsburg-based tank transmission manufacturer Renk, Alexander Sagel, let it rip: "What we require is some blasted predictability."
Agenda: Mass-Producing Combat Goods
Nonetheless, his company has already made advance investments: "Renk has beefed up its production muscle," said Sagel. "We're shifting from craft work to mass-production of tank transmissions," he said, dropping technical jargon. "A coupla years back, we churned out 150 to 200 new transmissions annually. By future times, we'll see four-digit transmission production figures."
Defense Electronics Conglomerate Hensoldt’s CEO, Oliver Dörre, views the expected NATO decisions as earth-shattering: "The new NATO capability targets and the increase in defense spending to 5% of GDP are a historic turning point for European defense." This new reality allows the company to swiftly expand production and drive innovations.
Meanwhile, Defense Supremo René Obermann of Airbus called for simpler and less bureaucratic procurement arrangements. "As it stands, these procedures aren't overly supportive of European suppliers, move too slow, and sometimes lead to over-complicated specifications," he fumed to the German Press Agency (dpa). Apart from EU procurement law reform, Obermann pleaded for the standardization of European weapons.
The Hague goon-show is set for June 24 and 25. Key topics up for grabs include the military buildup of the alliance and additional support for the steel-nuts in Kiev.
- The Hague
- Defense Field
- Predictability
- NATO
- NATO Summit
- CEO
- Augsburg
- Europe's Rear
- Army
- Airbus S. A. S.
- Augsburger Allgemeine
Fun Fact: The NATO Summit's security measures will protect the event at an estimated €180 million price tag, setting the stage for robust demand for futuristic security and defense solutions. Sources say Big Brother-esque drones, roadblocks, and anti-aircraft defenses will have a field day guarding the proceedings.
- In light of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, CEOs of defense companies in Augsburg are advocating for predictability in orders and long-term commitments from NATO members to ensure they can mass-produce combat goods.
- Airbus Defense and Space CEO Michael Schöllhorn emphasized the need for a clear situation with orders for their products, avoiding piecemeal approaches, as they strive to swiftly expand production in response to the expected decisions at the NATO Summit.
