The tone is rising at Airbus Defense and Space, the military and space subsidiary of the European aircraft manufacturer based in Manching (Bavaria), but also at IG Metall, the powerful German metallurgy union. Object of this anger: Berlin’s refusal to sell 48 Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to Saudi Arabia, which must quickly renew and strengthen its fleet. Within the SPD-Green-Liberal coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Greens are opposed to this contract due to the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi special services in 2018 and the war in Yemen.
Guillaume Faury, executive chairman of Airbus, judged this refusal “damaging for Germany’s reputation”. The general director of Airbus Defense and Space returns to the charge, Friday November 24, in The echoes. While recalling that this position is “registered[e] in the coalition treaty » of 2021, Michael Schoellhorn judges that this “casts doubts on the reliability of Germany as a partner, not only in England, but also in France, Spain and other countries.” He recalls that it was planned, when the program was signed, that “each had to give the other the freedom to export”.
Mr Schoellhorn emphasizes that“a substantive discussion is therefore necessary in Berlin on the rules which result from participation in a major European programme”. Because what threatens the Eurofighter Typhoon today can happen to the air combat system of the future (airplane, drones, combat cloud, etc.). Developed by Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defense and Space and the Spanish Indra, the latter must gradually replace the Rafale and the Typhoon after 2040. To avoid any blockage, the export doctrine must be fixed upstream by the partner countries.
London fears being overtaken by Paris
The British government and BAE Systems are putting pressure on, promising to Riyadh that the assembly of Saudi Typhoons could be transferred from Germany to the United Kingdom, according to the Financial Times. In the event of a blockage, the agreement on the Eurofighter provides that production could be moved elsewhere, recalls Mr. Schoellhorn, who however considers the option “unrealistic”.
London fears being overtaken by Paris. Riyadh has in fact asked Dassault Aviation to submit, before November 10, a quantified offer for 54 Rafale. Some analysts see this as a lure by the Saudis to force the hand of the German government. For the boss of Airbus Defense and Space, this entry into the competition is ” valid “, And “everything is open”.
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