EU Referendum


German tanks on sale, while Britain can't make rifles


07/07/2012



Leopard 2 761-uaw.jpeg

It was in May of this year that the closure of the last tank factory in Britain was announced, part of the general winding down of the defence industry, leaving us as a country that can no longer even manufacture rifles for its depleted Army.

Why is it, then, that we see from Handlesblatt that the Germans, while avoiding any "high end" military engagement overseas, are still in a position to market their Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks overseas?

This has come to light with details emerging of the Germans sending an Army staff officer to Saudi Arabia in a bid to sell them at least 270 Leopard 2A7 tanks – the most modern type in the armoury.

The Greens have been squealing that the sale of tanks to this authoritarian desert state would be unacceptable, and also complaining that it is not the task of the armed forces to support export sales for the defence industry.

Be that as it may, while the German Army is contracting in much the same way as the British force, the Germans still manage to maintain this core part of their manufacturing capability. I suppose the real difference is that the Germans are not lumbered with BAE Systems, who have dispensed with both rifle and tank manufacturing – and much else besides.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

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