BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The German government is pushing for a broader participation of additional industrial companies in defense production. "Until now, defense contractors and other major sectors of our industry have mainly operated in parallel within their respective fields. That must and will change," said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), who met in Berlin with Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) and representatives from industry and associations.
Together, they introduced a platform ("SVI-Connect") designed to quickly supplement existing defense supply chains with suitable resources from other industrial sectors. "Security policy is now always also economic policy," said Reiche. "The situation allows no delay."
"We want and need to increase production capacities. That was our shared approach again today," Pistorius said. "And of course, it helps us if we involve new suppliers in the value chains, thereby making the value chain itself more secure for the future."
Industry President: Procurement Must Be Radically Simplified
However, the platform cannot exempt companies with no prior experience in the defense sector from preparing and qualifying themselves on their own initiative for a place in the defense supply chains, explained Hans Christoph Atzpodien, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of the German Security and Defense Industry (BDSV), after the meeting. Initiative remains the key to success.
BDI President Peter Leibinger demanded: "The overly complicated procurement process must be radically simplified." In addition, the civilian industry must develop the skills needed to serve the armed forces. He said: "We have to learn here."
