AI-generated summary
Volkswagen is restructuring some of its factories in Europe to transition to electric vehicles and reduce costs. Meanwhile, Israel's Rafael is famous for its Iron Dome bulletproof system, and demand is increasing due to recent heightened tensions in the Middle East.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) German automobile company Volkswagen Group has decided to sell one German factory and convert it into a military goods production facility.
According to the Times of Israel, Volkswagen announced on the 7th (local time) that it will shut down the Osnabrück plant, which assembles the T-Roc Cabriolet model, next year and convert it into a defense equipment production facility for Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (hereinafter Rafael), an Israeli state-owned company that produces the Iron Dome.
Volkswagen plans to sell the Osnabrück plant to Israeli investment company Aurelius Capital and the government of Lower Saxony, the group's second-largest shareholder, and announced that Raphael will be in charge of the first project at the plant.
Volkswagen has not revealed what it plans to produce, but Britain's Financial Times reports that the project includes components for Israel's Iron Dome defense system.
For more details, please watch the video.
Produced by: Lim Dong-geun and Kim Hye-won
Video: Reuters, US Military Video Information Distribution Service, YouTube RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Volkswagen News
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Volkswagen will consider selling or repurposing additional plants in Europe in the future.
Possible · Within months
Raphael will expand production of Iron Dome components through its Osnabrück plant and diversify its production lines into other defense systems in the future.
Possible · Within months

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