Workshop 3: Land Systems
1 February 2022 and 2 February 2022 in Munich
Development of Military Land Systems – Perspectives for the European Industry
There is still a great diversity in the equipment of land forces in Europe. It ranges from small arms and armored vehicles to highly complex air defence systems.
The companies active in this market in Europe and globally are correspondingly diverse. We estimate that 80,000 to 90,000 people are employed by these companies in EU countries.
Manufacturers of land forces equipment are located in almost all European countries. In addition to the continued existence of numerous small and medium-sized companies, larger suppliers have established themselves in Europe in recent years, realising a significant portion of their sales through exports. These include KNDS, Rheinmetall, General Dynamics Land Systems, Thales, Leonardo, and BAE Systems.
Economic pressure for cooperation and mergers has increased sharply due to budget constraints, research-intensive technological innovation, and competition on the world market. Industry has responded to this with mergers, collaborations, and joint projects. The phase of industry consolidation does not yet appear to be complete. Also, the consequences of Brexit for BAE Systems as a supplier in Europe and a partner in European projects are not completely clear. The workshop aims to provide a forum for the trade unions and company representatives involved to exchange views and discuss the prospects for the industry and jobs.
Contributions to the workshop included a presentation by Nikolaus Gernet, German Ministry of Defence and Nicholas Begelman and Marine Dayan from Syndex. Part of the workshop was a site visit to KMW in Munich.