WRESTLING FOR FIRST - France and Germany Duel in Bid to Consolidate Weapons Industry

DER SPIEGEL ^ | ---- | Dinah Deckstein

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The fragmented European defense industry is on the verge of large-scale restructuring, and a small Bremen-based submarine equipment manufacturer is playing a key role in the process.

As recently as last spring, it looked as though Michel Josserand, 48, was on the fast track to the top at European aviation and defense group EADS. The French senior executive had been chosen for his position from among several candidates, and had been on the job only four months when he put together his first major deal for the company, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, the acquisition of Finnish mobile phone producer Nokia's Professional Mobile Radio Business.

As a reward, the company's new star was to be installed in a fast-track position at the Paris branch of EADS' defense division, where he would be competing for major defense contracts with his former employer, the French Thales Group, which has close ties to the government. But a few days later Josserand was remanded into custody on charges of corruption brought by his former supervisors.

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Bad bad world. This article gives you a good insight of the permanent stabbing inside the European defense conglomerates.

Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard: I still dream of acquiring Thales.

German Navy sailors stand in front of HDW's new fuel-cell powered submarine.

The Leopard 2 tank from Krauss Maffe

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>>>>PING!<<<<

[GSlob]

Well, at least as far as the light arms are concerned, I would take a slightly rusty German-made piece any time over brand new French one from St-Etienne, even if it is the same design made under license. I strongly suspect that the same applies to more involved weapons.