The German government is preparing a document to revitalize the nation's defense industry, according to a spokesperson from the Economy Ministry, who spoke on Sunday but did not offer further specifics.
"I can confirm that the government is crafting a strategic paper for the modernization of the defense and security industry. It is being developed across multiple departments," the spokesperson stated, corroborating an earlier report from Handelsblatt.
Handelsblatt revealed that the strategic paper would contain provisions enabling a faster approval process for the construction of arms factories in Germany, including reduced timelines and restricting the ability of citizens' initiatives to object. The three-party coalition in Germany is expected to approve the document in August, according to Handelsblatt.
This news of an enhanced defense modernization effort follows the recent agreement between German defense company Rheinmetall and Italian counterpart Leonardo to establish a joint venture for the production of tanks and other land defense systems.
