"Increased demand in Europe": US group wants to produce Patriot missiles in Bavaria
Created: 11/30/2022, 12:31 p.m
By: Felix Durach
A Bundeswehr Patriot air defense system at the International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin.
(Archive image) © Schöning/imago-images
The US armaments company Raytheon intends to produce the Patriot missile defense system in Germany for the first time in the near future.
Schrobenhausen – The US American air defense system of the “Patriot” type is to be produced in Germany for the first time in the future.
The arms companies Raytheon and MBDA announced the plans for the project in a press release on Wednesday.
The German demand for the Patriot GEM-T interceptor missiles could then be completely covered by the new production site in Germany.
The proposal by the two companies to the federal government has yet to be accepted.
Patriot missiles are also to be produced in Germany for the first time
The Patriot missile would be produced under this plan for the first time since development began in 1969 outside of the United States.
In addition to German requirements, the production site in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, is also intended to ensure the supply of other NATO partners with the anti-aircraft missile.
The proposal by the two armaments companies to the Federal Republic is intended to serve as a contribution to the NATO missile defense system "Sky Shield".
Due to the massive Russian missile attacks in the Ukraine war, the NATO defense ministers had agreed to expand European air defense.
Patriot anti-aircraft system
The weapon system produced by the US arms company Raytheon is a ground-based short-range anti-aircraft system.
The Patriot missiles can target and eliminate targets up to 70 kilometers away.
The system was first put into operation in 1991.
It is currently used by 18 nations.
Including various NATO countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
"Increased demand in Europe": Raytheon wants to produce Patriot missiles in Germany
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz had already announced the project at the end of August and spoke of a "security gain for all of Europe".
A European air defense is cheaper and more efficient than if everyone builds their own, expensive and highly complex air defense, he said.
Scholz said at the time that Germany would invest heavily in air defense in the coming years - and in such a way that European neighbors could participate right from the start.
As part of the initiative, gaps in NATO's missile stocks are to be closed, among other things.
In addition, the production capacities of Patriot missiles are to be greatly increased.
"Given increased demand in Europe, we intend to double our production capacity," Raytheon executive Doug Stevenson told
Welt
.
.
"In order for Patriot to remain a credible deterrent in the current threat environment, it is necessary to maintain, expand and further develop the system's capability and combat effectiveness," said the German armaments group MBDA in a press release.
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Raytheon and MBDA have been working together for a long time as part of the COMLOG joint venture.
COMLOG is already in charge of maintaining and repairing existing Patriot missiles.
In the future, the rockets will then also be produced there.
However, Stevenson reckons it could take three to four years for production to start in Schrobenhausen.
(fd with dpa)
