Latest news with #TRML-4D
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Switzerland to buy 4 or 5 IRIS-T air-defense systems from Diehl
PARIS — Switzerland plans to buy four or five IRIS-T SLM medium-range air-defense systems from Germany's Diehl Defence, with negotiations in an advanced phase, the country's defense procurement office, Armasuisse, said on Friday. The federal office expects to sign the contract for the ground-to-air missile batteries in the third quarter of 2025, with procurement taking place as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, Armasuisse said in a statement. Swiss lawmakers last year approved a credit guarantee of 660 million Swiss francs ($809 million) for medium-range air defense in the 2024 armament program. Switzerland joins countries across Europe rushing to bolster their air defenses, as Russia's daily missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities have raised awareness of the need to protect civilian and military targets against aerial threats. 'The future ground-based air defense will contribute to the impact of maintaining air sovereignty and air defense as well as protecting against attacks with long-range weapons,' Armasuisse said. The system will be part of Switzerland's integrated air defense, the office said. Armasuisse tested Hensoldt's TRML-4D radar for the new medium-range air-defense system between March 31 and April 11, taking a further step in the procurement process, the office said. The properties of the radar were tested together with Diehl and Hensoldt in the specific Swiss topography, with the radar used to detect aircraft including the PC-12, F/A-18 and helicopters, Armasuisse said. Switzerland is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe, with mountains covering 70% of the territory and around a quarter of the surface area made up of peaks over 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level. The tests also investigated the frequency compatibility with civilian systems such as weather radar. The country in October joined the European Sky Shield Initiative as the program's 15th member, with an initial focus on medium-range air defense, while saying it expected opportunities for cooperation on shorter and longer-range defenses in the future. Other IRIS-T SLM users include Germany and Ukraine, while Latvia ordered the system in November 2023 and Slovenia and Bulgaria placed orders last year. A system typically includes a fire-control unit, a radar unit and multiple missile launchers. 'The renewal will close an existing gap in capability in the defense of stand-off weapons, to combat approaching targets at a medium distance and thus expand long-range ground-based air defense with the Patriot system,' Armasuisse said. 'Systems currently in use will soon reach the end of their useful life.' Separately, Diehl said it signed a partnership agreement with Denmark's MDSI to expand the payload integration of IRIS-T short-range missiles on fighter aircraft. The missile is included in the standard armament of the Eurofighter and Saab's Gripen, and can also be used on the F-16, Tornado, EF-18, KF-21 and F-5E, according to Diehl. 'By partnering with MDSI, we're enabling air forces to leverage the full potential of our missile system across platforms previously deemed as of limited compatibility,' said Martin Walzer, senior manager for integration programs at Diehl.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Analysis-Tanks not cars: how a pivot to defence could help Germany's economy
By Christoph Steitz FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German defence companies seeking more capacity as Europe prepares to raise military spending are eyeing the ailing car industry, the first sign of a shift that could help revive the continent's biggest economy after two years of contraction. Manufacturers of tanks, radar and weapons are aiming to ramp up production as Europe responds to U.S. pressure to take care of its own defences. Carmakers, for decades Germany's economic powerhouse, are meanwhile cutting jobs and shutting plants amid slowing demand and a creaking electric vehicle transition. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Rheinmetall, Europe's top ammunition maker, said last week it would repurpose two plants currently turning out automotive parts to mostly make defence equipment. Hensoldt, which makes the TRML-4D radar systems being used by Ukraine in its war with Russia, is in talks to take on around 200 workers from major auto parts suppliers Bosch and Continental. "We are benefiting from the difficulties in the automotive industry," Hensoldt's chief executive Oliver Doerre told Reuters, adding that further investment could more than double annual production of the TRML-4D to between 25 and 30. On Sunday, European leaders agreed they must spend more on their militaries at an emergency summit in London convened after a public clash between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskiy cast doubt over future U.S. support for Ukraine. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss proposals to mobilise up to 800 billion euros ($843 billion) for rearmament, including 150 billion euros of joint borrowing. Separately, the parties in talks to form Germany's new government late on Tuesday announced proposals to set up a 500 billion euro fund for infrastructure and overhaul borrowing rules in order to massively up defence spending. As a result, European defence stocks have rallied sharply this week. The Bruegel think-tank estimates Europe may need 300,000 additional troops and a short-term annual increase in defence spending of at least 250 billion euros "to deter Russian aggression". GDP BOOST A pivot towards defence production could give a boost to the Germany economy, which has become a laggard among European peers as businesses grapple with high energy costs, red tape and aggressive competition from abroad. The IfW Kiel Institute for the World Economy reckons the European Union's gross domestic product could grow by 0.9-1.5% a year if EU countries raise military spending to 3.5% of GDP from the current 2% NATO target and rely on local technology. "In the medium to long term, American economic history in particular has shown that such military spending can deliver a great deal in terms of productivity gains, spillover and technological advances," IfW Kiel's Johannes Binder said. For Germany, with its existing industrial infrastructure, GDP growth would likely be at the upper end of that range, he added. Raising defence spending to 3% of GDP would more than double Germany's annual investments to 25.5 billion euros, create 245,000 direct and indirect jobs and trigger nearly 42 billion in production and service activity each year, EY estimates. The most recent figures available show Germany's security and defence industry employed 387,000 people in 2022, around half as many as the country's auto sector that year. Defence industry sales totalled 47 billion euros in 2022, compared with 506 billion for the car sector. "We must consider the defence industry as an economic motor for Germany," said Hensoldt's Doerre. "The sector will play a more significant role than in the past." Hensoldt has already started to outsource production of circuit boards and Doerre said that could eventually be expanded to wire harnesses and casings. Using spare capacity in the car sector would help preserve Germany's established manufacturing infrastructure as well as boosting the output of military equipment, he noted. SYNERGIES Car industry supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, itself in a restructuring process that may result in German plant closures, has been in touch with defence companies about shifting workers, it said, citing "industrial synergies". Tank gearbox manufacturer Renk, majority-owned by Volkswagen until 2020, said the automotive sector had become more of a focus recently, especially with regard to the scaling of production capacities. It did not give further details. German-French military defence system supplier KNDS, which plans to make the Leopard 2 battle tank and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle at a German tram plant it recently agreed to buy from France's Alstom, did not respond to queries. Analysts at Deutsche Bank warned in a note last month, however, that increased EU defence spending might not bring significant benefits to the local industry, which is more fragmented than its U.S. counterpart. Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, in a recent report on Europe's competitiveness, said between mid-2022 and mid-2023 nearly four-fifths of the EU's defence procurement spending went to non-EU suppliers. Rheinmetall is also talking to Continental about taking on around 100 employees to beef up operations. Its CEO Armin Papperger told Reuters in February that huge investments in missiles, ammunition and vehicles were needed to make Europe more resilient, adding the continent was way behind target in terms of spending. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin knows this too, of course, and that's why we have to act," he said. ($1 = 0.9489 euros) (Additional reporting by Alexander Huebner, Matthias Inverardi and Sabine Siebold; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Reuters
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Tanks not cars: how a pivot to defence could help Germany's economy
FRANKFURT, March 5 (Reuters) - German defence companies seeking more capacity as Europe prepares to raise military spending are eyeing the ailing car industry, the first sign of a shift that could help revive the continent's biggest economy after two years of contraction. Manufacturers of tanks, radar and weapons are aiming to ramp up production as Europe responds to U.S. pressure to take care of its own defences. Carmakers, for decades Germany's economic powerhouse, are meanwhile cutting jobs and shutting plants amid slowing demand and a creaking electric vehicle transition. Rheinmetall ( opens new tab, Europe's top ammunition maker, said last week it would repurpose two plants currently turning out automotive parts to mostly make defence equipment. Hensoldt ( opens new tab, which makes the TRML-4D radar systems being used by Ukraine in its war with Russia, is in talks to take on around 200 workers from major auto parts suppliers Bosch ( and Continental ( opens new tab. "We are benefiting from the difficulties in the automotive industry," Hensoldt's chief executive Oliver Doerre told Reuters, adding that further investment could more than double annual production of the TRML-4D to between 25 and 30. On Sunday, European leaders agreed they must spend more on their militaries at an emergency summit in London convened after a public clash between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskiy cast doubt over future U.S. support for Ukraine. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss proposals to mobilise up to 800 billion euros ($843 billion) for rearmament, including 150 billion euros of joint borrowing. Separately, the parties in talks to form Germany's new government late on Tuesday announced proposals to set up a 500 billion euro fund for infrastructure and overhaul borrowing rules in order to massively up defence spending. As a result, European defence stocks have rallied sharply this week. The Bruegel think-tank estimates, opens new tab Europe may need 300,000 additional troops and a short-term annual increase in defence spending of at least 250 billion euros "to deter Russian aggression". GDP BOOST A pivot towards defence production could give a boost to the Germany economy, which has become a laggard among European peers as businesses grapple with high energy costs, red tape and aggressive competition from abroad. The IfW Kiel Institute for the World Economy reckons the European Union's gross domestic product could grow by 0.9-1.5% a year if EU countries raise military spending to 3.5% of GDP from the current 2% NATO target and rely on local technology. "In the medium to long term, American economic history in particular has shown that such military spending can deliver a great deal in terms of productivity gains, spillover and technological advances," IfW Kiel's Johannes Binder said. For Germany, with its existing industrial infrastructure, GDP growth would likely be at the upper end of that range, he added. Raising defence spending to 3% of GDP would more than double Germany's annual investments to 25.5 billion euros, create 245,000 direct and indirect jobs and trigger nearly 42 billion in production and service activity each year, EY estimates. The most recent figures available show Germany's security and defence industry employed 387,000 people in 2022, around half as many as the country's auto sector that year. Defence industry sales totalled 47 billion euros in 2022, compared with 506 billion for the car sector. "We must consider the defence industry as an economic motor for Germany," said Hensoldt's Doerre. "The sector will play a more significant role than in the past." Hensoldt has already started to outsource production of circuit boards and Doerre said that could eventually be expanded to wire harnesses and casings. Using spare capacity in the car sector would help preserve Germany's established manufacturing infrastructure as well as boosting the output of military equipment, he noted. SYNERGIES Car industry supplier ZF Friedrichshafen ( itself in a restructuring process that may result in German plant closures, has been in touch with defence companies about shifting workers, it said, citing "industrial synergies". Tank gearbox manufacturer Renk ( opens new tab, majority-owned by Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), opens new tab until 2020, said the automotive sector had become more of a focus recently, especially with regard to the scaling of production capacities. It did not give further details. German-French military defence system supplier KNDS, which plans to make the Leopard 2 battle tank and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle at a German tram plant it recently agreed to buy from France's Alstom ( opens new tab, did not respond to queries. Analysts at Deutsche Bank warned in a note last month, however, that increased EU defence spending might not bring significant benefits to the local industry, which is more fragmented than its U.S. counterpart. Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, in a recent report on Europe's competitiveness, said between mid-2022 and mid-2023 nearly four-fifths of the EU's defence procurement spending went to non-EU suppliers. Rheinmetall is also talking to Continental about taking on around 100 employees to beef up operations. Its CEO Armin Papperger told Reuters in February that huge investments in missiles, ammunition and vehicles were needed to make Europe more resilient, adding the continent was way behind target in terms of spending. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin knows this too, of course, and that's why we have to act," he said. ($1 = 0.9489 euros)
