Germany's Hensoldt plans defence deals with Gulf states - Spiegel

Reuters · 01/06/2023 15:32
Germany's Hensoldt plans defence deals with Gulf states - Spiegel

- German defence supplier Hensoldt HAGG.DE has applied to the government for clearance for a of politically sensitive projects with Gulf states, the Spiegel magazine reported on Friday.

Hensoldt, in which the government owns a 25.1% stake, wants to supply components to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Cobra artillery tracking system, the report said, citing an internal company presentation.

The company expects to get approval for this, it said.

A Hensoldt spokesperson would comment on current projects when asked by Reuters and said the company had done anything illegal. No industry is more strictly regulated than the arms industry, the spokesperson said.

The German economy ministry did immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

The German government is also considering a request from Hensoldt regarding radars for warships that the United States would supply to Saudi Arabia, Spiegel reported.

Saudi Arabia is among the German arms industry top buyers, despite the coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz having vowed to refuse arms export permits to countries proven to be directly involved in the Yemen war. The UAE is a member of a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen since 2015.


(Reporting by Rachel More and Christina Amann
Editing by Miranda Murray and Angus MacSwan)

((rachel.more@thomsonreuters.com;))