Military spending fuels Rheinmetall's rise
Germany wants to build ‘the strongest conventional army in Europe'. And the country's defence giant Rheinmetall is expanding into new sectors, from shipbuilding to space, to supply what it needs. - 2026/09 / 2026/09 germany
Germany's defense industry giant Rheinmetall is experiencing a surge in growth due to the country's increased military spending. The nation aims to establish "the strongest conventional army in Europe," leading to a rapid expansion of defense procurement. However, this process lacks democratic oversight, leaving Rheinmetall as the main beneficiary of the poorly controlled defense policy.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger dismisses emerging drone technology used by Ukrainian forces, asserting that innovation lies beyond their reach. Since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, military expenditure in Germany is projected to triple from €50.4 billion to €153 billion over the next seven years. This surge in defense spending has driven Rheinmetall's expansion into new sectors, such as shipbuilding and space, to meet the country's growing defense needs.
Written by urgent.news from Le Monde diplomatique (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
