After the Russian attack on Kiev, Chancellor Scholz announced that the Bundeswehr is to be upgraded with 100 billion euros. But many months later, no order has yet been received, complains the Airbus armaments chief. Export permits were also stuck with the government.
The armaments group Airbus is waiting for export permits worth several billion euros and is calling for faster political action. "We are already seeing interest from various countries in the A400M. Unfortunately, we are currently finding it difficult to obtain the German export licenses in good time," said Airbus armaments chief Michael Schöllhorn at the Munich Security Conference. "Our current problem is that we have not received any orders from the turn of the century and important exports are not approved," criticized the manager. "In this respect, this is a very unsatisfactory situation for us, not least with a view to the order intake."
Schöllhorn pleaded for faster export procedures. Orders for several platforms, not just the A400M military transport aircraft, are stuck with the government. Schöllhorn did not name a specific amount, but emphasized: "In total, that's billions." In his speech at the Munich Security Conference, the Federal Chancellor stressed that the production lines of the industry had to run. "In order to ensure that, we need orders - all the more so if we are denied export at the same time."
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a "turning point" in security policy. A special fund of over 100 billion euros is intended to whip the Bundeswehr into shape. In an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" on Saturday, Schöllhorn had already complained that Airbus had not received a single order from the Bundeswehr special fund. He therefore hopes for a permanent rethinking of defense policy and the armaments industry. "The real turning point is the one that has to take place in the minds of the German population," he told the newspaper.
At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany would be spending more on the military as part of NATO membership. "We are strongly committed to the two percent promise," said Pistorius in front of the plenum. "As you know, we still have some ground to make up to get there." But he will work hard to ensure that Germany meets this long-overdue goal.
