According to the results of 2004, the export of arms and military equipment from Germany has increased four times as much in compared with the previous year.
According to the report of Mr. Wolfgang Clement, Minister of Economy and Labour of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), in the year 2004 the scope of export in the defence field has reached the value of 1.3 billion euro, while in 2003 the figure was just 318 million.
In this parameter, Germany takes the sixth place in the world after USA, Great Britain, Russia, Ukraine and France. And this has occurred despite the fact that the dollar has been getting weaker against the euro, which is to have a negative effect on the competitiveness of European-produced goods in the international market. Besides, the arms sale restrictions in Germany are the severest in the world.
The above increase has been quite an achievement for the FRG, which nowadays has become Number One supplier of armoured vehicles for Europe and the trendsetter in this field.
One can see a thought-out approach to the sales. In connection with the stabilisation of the situation in Europe and enlargement of NATO, Germany withdraws from service a large number of battle tanks and sells them at a considerably lowered price (or sometimes Germany gives it out free of charge). In so doing, the country that receives such a 'present', becomes a permanent client of German suppliers of spares, with auxiliary vehicles having to be bought also in Germany.
The countries that received Leopard 2s, such as Greece, are interested in equipping their military units with up-to-date infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) to support tanks. And the most probable supplier of these is also Germany which offers its surplus Marder IFVs.
Sergyi Wey
11.01.2005