Newsline 2/2000 - KSPG AG

Divisions
Business
Units
Lead
Companies
Naval Systems
Surface Vessels
Underwater
Mine Hunting
Systems
for:
STN Atlas Elektronik
GmbH
More and more importance is being
attached to the mission-readiness of
the armed forces since the main task
of the German Army – as recently defined
by the Chief of Staff Army, Lieutenant
General Helmut Willmann –
will consist primarily in collective defence
beyond national borders. Defence
operations within the alliance
and peace-keeping missions outside
Germany are expected to increase in
future. Besides the undisputed high
training standard of the armed forces
in Germany, the mission-readiness of
its special forces will depend very largely
on the technological standard of
the systems and equipment available
to the forces.
Defence spending cuts – especially
in the investment sector – which have
been demanded for many years now
have not only destroyed more than
150,000 highly skilled jobs in the defence
industry. We have also lost our
technological lead as a supplier of the
armed forces as a result of these cutbacks
so that we have literally slipped
to a position of insignificance. We have
only managed to retain a significant
ranking as a supplier of systems
and equipment for the army.
Speaking at the 36th Munich conference
on security policy, the US
Secretary of Defense Cohen remarked
that “we should not continue to reduce
our budgets and look to the US for
help.” In saying this, he openly challenged
the Europeans to stop further
financial cutbacks in the defence sector.
Reduced spending is contra-productive
and causes very serious damage
to the national and European
defence capability. The industry –
and particularly also Rheinmetall De-
Tec AG – have repeatedly drawn attention
to this undesirable development.
By virtue of selective mergers,
acquisitions and cooperations,
Rheinmetall has
managed to concentrate
the technologicalcapabilities
as a complete
supplier of systems,equipment,
weapons
and ammunition
for the armed for-
ces on land and
has established
Newsline
Rheinmetall DeTec AG
Simulation
Simulation
Training
STN Atlas Elektronik
GmbH
Cross-border
consolidation continues
its position as a leading supplier of
systems solutions ranging from sensors
to weapons as well as naval platforms
on an international scale. We
have been able to secure minimum
capacities at a level which is absolutely
vital both with regard to profitability
and also to the equally important
19
Vehicle Systems
MaK
System
Ges. mbH
Army Systems
Air Defence
Army and Air Force
Oerlikon
Contraves
AG
Mario Gabrielli
Vetronics/
Systems for Aircraft
STN Atlas
Elektronik
GmbH
Weapons and
Ammunition
Large Caliber
Rheinmetall
W&M GmbH
Medium Caliber
Oerlikon
Contraves
AG
aspect of retaining essential knowhow,
and this level should certainly
not drop further.
The hesitant demand in the domestic
sector despite the political intent
to maintain national sovereignty
through an independent armaments
industry and to limit the damaging effect
of the loss of further jobs will not
suffice to utilize these resources. The
export business can and will have to
make a contribution, even if this can
only be limited. This limitation has to
be made because the stringent export
regulations for armaments affect
competitiveness. It remains to be seen
what effect the new guidelines passed
as a single-handed effort in Germany
without the involvement of the industry
will have within the framework of
the intended European harmonization
of armament exports. Our industrial
partners in Europe will acknowledge
this self-restraint favorably but find it
difficult to comprehend.
Our executives will have to manage
their business so that the capabilities
of the Rheinmetall DeTec group gain
recognition while simultaneously allowing
for the justifiable interests of
the individual company. The most important
pre-condition for this will be
that we do everything in our power to
promote the employees’ identification
with the group and to increase the
sense of “togetherness” under the
umbrella of Rheinmetall DeTec AG.
Mario Gabrielli*
*Mario Gabrielli (57), member of the executive board
of Rheinmetall DeTec AG (Ratingen)